Interconnection with Shelby Electric Cooperative's grid is very complex. Members considering a system should call the office and speak with a member services representative directly. 

Please call the office to discuss your project prior to application.  800-677-2612 or 217-774-3986

Step One: Contact Us

Please contact us as a first step if you are interested in installing a renewable energy system. Our member services department can be reached by phone at 217-774-3986. We will provide you with information on our policies and answer any questions you may have.

Members who install a renewable energy system on Shelby Electric's lines must own the system themselves per cooperative bylaws. Third party ownership of the system such as Purchase Power Agreements and lease agreements tied to kWh production is not permitted.

A non-refundable application fee of $500 is required at the time of application to secure the project's placement into the queue of projects. This fee is imposed as an effort to recover costs incurred to Shelby Electric during the connection process. All projects must be reviewed by our Engineering Department before authorization to construct is granted. Additional deposits may be required depending on the system size and necessary engineering studies and/or Cooperative system upgrades.

SEC Board Policy 307: Interconnection and Parallel Operation of Distributed Generation

PLEASE NOTE: Cooperative policies are subject to change.  

Check out Touchstone Energy's 10 Steps to Take Before Considering Solar as well as Questions to Ask a Solar Contractor. 

Step Two: Application to Interconnect

Applying to interconnect to the Shelby Electric distribution system is a key step in the process as it provides you a position in our queue. During this phase, our Engineering Department will gather the specific characteristics of your project to use in performing an impact analysis of your system operating in parallel with our system.

Small Distributed Generation Facilities Incentive (50 kW AC or below): Attachment A, Attachment D, Attachment E, proof of $1 million liability insurance, $500 application fee, and a $1,500 Third Party Engineering Analysis deposit

*If a system below  10 kW AC requires an additional deposit, Shelby Electric will contact the member during the system study process.

Qualifying Facility (10 to 100 kW AC): Attachment A, Attachment B, Attachment C, Attachment D, Attachment E, FERC Form 556, proof of $1 million liability insurance, $500 application fee, and a $1,500 Third Party Engineering Analysis deposit

PLEASE NOTE: Additional deposits may be required depending on the system size and necessary engineering studies and/or Cooperative system upgrades. 

Step Three: Approval

Once your project has been approved, Shelby Electric will notify you and your contractor that construction can begin.

If additional system upgrades are needed for your project, you will be notified at this point.

Step Four: Site Inspection/Meter Install

Once construction is complete, BEFORE the system is energized, contact our Member Services Department to make an appointment for inspection of the system. ALL projects must be inspected before authorization to energize is granted. The homeowner AND a representative of the contractor MUST be present for the inspection. 

If the project passes inspection, the appropriate meter will be installed. If the Cooperative must return to the location for inspection more than two times, a non-refundable fee of $100 must be paid in advance of the 3rd scheduled inspection. 

Step Five: Congratulations! 

Congratulations! You are now a proud owner of a distributed generation system. Shelby Electric Cooperative will return signed copies of Attachment D and Attachment E. 

Your bill will start to look different, please do not hesitate to call into our office and speak with the Member Services Department with any questions.  

 

Small Distributed Generation Facilities Incentive (50 kW AC or below):

You will be billed for all kilowatt hours delivered to your premises.

All kilowatt hours received back to SEC will be calculated as follows:

               (5 x PPI's On Peak Energy Charge Rate + 2 x PPI's Energy Charge Rate) divided by 7

All solar applications require a $500 application fee. Any system over 10 kW AC WILL require an additional $1,500 third party engineering analysis deposit at the time of application. If a system below 10 kW AC requires an additional deposit, Shelby Electric will contact the member during the system study process.

Please note: additional fees may be required. 

We ask that all members who install solar carry $1,000,000 of liability insurance.

To fall into the Small Distributed Generation Facilities Incentive, the system will have to meet all of the following criteria as determined by SEC's Engineering Department:

  1. The system must be owned by a SEC member.
  2. The system must be located in the retail service area of the Cooperative. 
  3. It must be connected to and operating on the Member's low-voltage electric premises wiring associated with a single, specified service metering point.
  4. The total combined Nameplate Rating for such resources at the single, specified metering point is less than or equal to 50 kilowatts and sized to offset no more than 110% of the member's load over the previous 12 months (if 12 months of data is not available, the average amount of similar Members shall be used). 
  5. Such resources produce electric energy using biomass, waste, renewable resources (including wind, solar energy, and water).
  6. Such resources are not taking services as either an Eligible Renewable Electrical Generation Facility (EREGF) under SEC's Board Policy #308 and PPI Policy #504 or as a Qualified Facility under SEC's Board Policy #321 and PPI Policy #509.

If one or more of the previously stated six criteria are not met, then the project will fall into the Qualifying Facility policy. 

PLEASE NOTE: Cooperative policies are subject to change.

Member Documents:

Qualifying Facility (QF) (10-100 kW AC):

Qualifying Facility systems allow large accounts to utilize a greater amount of self-generated power as it is needed. Unlike net metering projects, which offset kWhs during the billing period, QF's utilize generated power in "real-time." All solar applications require a $500 application fee as well as a $1,500 Third Party Engineering Analysis fee at the time of application (please note that additional fees may be required).

PLEASE NOTE: Cooperative policies are subject to change.

Prior to installation, the member must choose one of two options below for their QF system:

1. Standard Qualifying Facility:

A Standard QF system will track all kilowatt hours generated over what the member is using at each five-minute interval. All over-generated kilowatt hours are contracted through Shelby Electric's power provider, Prairie Power Inc (PPI). In addition to Shelby Electric's member (which will record how much electricity SEC sends to you), another meter is required. This additional meter is paid for and owned by the member, and installed by PPI to record the amount of electricity received. This metering is very advanced and must maintain contact with PPI's communication systems. In this scenario, the members will receive a standard monthly bill from Shelby Electric for all electricity delivered to the location. This received from the location based on real-time market prices. Keep in mind, actual electricity prices settle every five minutes and fluctuates positive and negative. 

2. Waived Qualifying Facility:

The member opts out of the additional metering. If the member over-generates under this agreement, the member agrees to waive all right to those kilowatt-hour sales. 

Member Documents:

Please do not hesitate to call our office and speak to a representative 217-774-3986