WAC 480-107-095   Obligations of the utility to qualifying facilities.  (1) A utility must purchase electric energy, electric capacity, or both from a qualifying facility on terms that do not exceed the utility's avoided costs for such electric energy, electric capacity, or both.

     (2) All utilities must file a standard tariff for purchases from qualifying facilities rated at one megawatt or less. Such standard tariff may be based upon market prices and include incremental costs associated with purchasing small quantities of power. Qualifying facility developers proposing projects with a design capacity of one megawatt or less may choose to receive a purchase price for power that is set forth in such standard tariff.

     (3) A utility must sell to any qualifying facilities, in accordance with WAC 480-107-105 Rates for sales to qualifying facilities, any energy and capacity requested by the qualifying facilities on the same basis as available to other customers of the utility in the same class.

     (4) Any utility must make all the necessary interconnections with any qualifying facilities to accomplish purchases or sales under this section. The obligation to pay for any interconnection costs will be determined in accordance with WAC 480-107-125 Interconnection costs.

     (5) At the request of a qualifying facility, a utility that would otherwise be obligated to purchase energy or capacity from such qualifying facility may transmit energy or capacity to any other utility at the option of the utilities involved. Nothing in this section obligates the utility connected with the qualifying facility to transmit to other utilities. Nothing in this section obligates other utilities to purchase from the qualifying facility.

     (6) Each utility may offer to operate in parallel with a qualifying facility if the qualifying facility complies with all applicable standards established in WAC 480-107-095 Obligations of generating facilities to electric utilities.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 80.01.040 and 80.04.160. 06-08-025 (Docket No. UE-030423, General Order No. R-530), § 480-107-095, filed 3/28/06, effective 4/28/06.]