Interconnection Process
Customers must follow the interconnection process and be approved before generating electricity from their renewable energy system. Following this process ensures safety for all parties involved, including DTE Energy and the customer.
Safety
When connecting generation resources to the system, the most important thing to DTE Energy is the safety of our employees and customers. Customers installing generation that is intended to run in parallel with our system are required to contact us and receive written authorization before operating a permanently connected generating system. Customers operating generation in parallel with the system without written permission are subject to disconnection of service. Authorization from all other applicable regulatory bodies to ensure all local, state and federal codes and regulations are met is also required. Approval by DTE Energy does not waive the requirement for obtaining approval from other governmental bodies and approval by governmental authorities does not waive the requirement of approval by DTE Energy.
Your Responsibilities
You and your contractor or installer are responsible for coordination of the design, installation, operation and maintenance of any customer generation system you install, and for conforming with applicable governmental laws and regulations (local, state and federal) and the requirements of DTE Energy's tariffs and rules, which includes a requirement for an externally located, readily accessible, taggable disconnect switch.
Our Responsibilities
We are responsible for completing the steps listed in the ‘Interconnection Process Overview” in a timely manner and for meeting all required steps and time lines necessary to process your interconnection application. We will designate a primary contact to assist you with any questions or information you need to complete your Interconnection.
Getting Started
The links below will help get your project started on the right track.
Rate Options
Customers with on-site generation other than emergency generation take service under one of our MPSC-filed rates and, typically, a rider to the rate covering the impacts of operating on-site generation.
The three most common rates are:
The riders for non-emergency on-site generation:
- Standard Contract Rider No. 3. Parallel Operation and Standby Service Rider 3 is available to most commercial and industrial customers. These customers must take standby service under the provisions of the rider unless otherwise exempted. Rider 3 is not available to residential customers.
- Standard Contract Rider No. 6. Small Power-producing Facilities Rider 6 is available to most customers, including residential customers, who develop small power-producing facilities and sell electricity to DTE Energy. To qualify for this rider, the customer must obtain qualifying status from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
- Standard Contract Rider No. 13. Dispersed Generation Rider 13 is available to customers who generate at least 250 kW of capacity and want a voluntary dispersed generation payment for operating their generation at the request of DTE Energy.
- Standard Contract Rider No. DG. Distributed Generation Rider DG is available to residential and commercial customers with on-site distributed generation of no more than 100 kW who wish to operate in parallel with the DTE Energy system.
- Standard Contract Rider No. 16. Net Metering for Renewable Resource On-Site Power Producing Facilities Rider 16 is available to all electric customers operating eligible on-site generation. Rider 16 currently provides credits based on the customer’s standard retail rates for generation the customer can use.
Auxiliary power provision of the standard residential rate was developed in the mid 1970s for residential wind and solar generation. Although that provision is available, any unit that would qualify for this option would also qualify for the newest Rider 16 option, which provides much more benefit to the customer.
