On July 21, FERC modified its pro forma Small Generator Interconnection Agreement (SGIA) to require newly interconnecting small generating facilities to ride through abnormal frequency and voltage events and not disconnect during such events. Under the final rule, each public utility transmission provider that has an SGIA must submit a compliance filing within 65 days of the date that the final rule is published in the Federal Register to demonstrate that it meets the requirements set forth in the rule.

The final rule also allows entities to seek “independent entity variations” from the revisions to the pro forma SGIA. Additionally, the Commission stated that transmission providers that are not public utilities would have to adopt the requirements of this final rule as a condition of maintaining the status of their safe harbor tariffs or otherwise satisfying the reciprocity requirement of Order No. 888.

The Commission did not adopt specific frequency and voltage ride-through parameters, but instead will allow for the development of appropriate system-specific standards, which may be based on work by recognized standards-setting bodies such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).