The draft law on amendments to the Law on Energy brings significant changes in connection with the connection of power plants to the distribution system, especially for power plants that use renewable energy sources.
It is prescribed that the connection procedure is initiated by submitting a request to the operator of the distribution system for the preparation of a connection study, but that a connection study is not required for power plants with an installed capacity of less than 50 kW.
The connection study must also contain temporary power limitations during the operation of the power plant, for which the operator of the distribution system is not obliged to pay financial compensation to the producer. This applies if the study shows that the connection of the power plant in certain time intervals could result in the delivery of total active power to the transmission system that would exceed the legally prescribed limits governing the use of renewable energy sources.
It is also prescribed that the operator of the distribution system and the requester regulate their rights and obligations more closely in the contract on the preparation of the connection study.
In addition, the applicant is obliged to submit a bank guarantee for the power plant with an installed power of over 400 kW within the prescribed period that he will build the power plant within the defined period. If after the expiration of the deadline for submitting the bank guarantee, there was a reduction in the total required power for power plants, the operator of the distribution system is obliged to update the connection study ex officio.
The operator of the distribution system is obliged to issue conditions for design and connection within 15 days from the receipt of the request, if the applicant has provided a planning document and created a conceptual solution. Also, the operator is obliged to adopt and publish the connection procedure on its website.
“Regarding the construction of the connection to the distribution system, it is prescribed that the operator of the distribution system is the investor in the construction of the connection, and that at the request of the person who has the connection study and location conditions, he is obliged to conclude a contract on connection on the basis of which he is authorized to on behalf of the operator of the distribution system, build a connection,” the document states.
The operator of the distribution system is obliged to provide priority access to power plants that use renewable energy sources with an installed power of less than 400 kW, as well as those with an installed power of less than 200 kW, which start operating after January 1, 2026. Priority access is also given to power plants with the status of a demonstration project, limited to the necessary period and scope required to achieve the purpose of that project. It is also prescribed when the Agency can, at the operator’s request, grant an exemption from priority access, and the obligation is to inform the Secretariat of the Energy Community about it.
The draft law also regulates the certification of installers of plants that use renewable energy sources. The introduction of the certification of installers of plants that use renewable energy sources will bring numerous benefits to the citizens of Serbia, including increased safety and security, quality of installations that will ensure optimal efficiency and longevity of the system, better protection and consumer confidence from unprofessionally performed installations that can cause losses and problems with the system.
“Standards and guidelines for installation will be established, which helps to achieve consistency and consistency of installations throughout the industry, and thus achieve market regulation, which all together can contribute to the faster adoption of renewable energy sources as part of the energy mix and the promotion of sustainable energy technologies,” he states. in the document.
The proposal of the law, in the part of energy permits, stipulates that an energy permit is not required for the construction of facilities that are built according to the law on the use of renewable energy sources and for the storage of electricity.
Energy portal
Source: energetskiportal.rs
