DER Interconnection / Net Metering Application and Agreement

| Resume a previously saved form
Resume Later

In order to be able to resume this form later, please enter your email and choose a password.

Password must contain the following:
  • 12 Characters
  • 1 Uppercase letter
  • 1 Lowercase letter
  • 1 Number
  • 1 Special character


This form applies to members or contractors acting on behalf of members seeking to interconnect a Distributed Energy Resource (DER) onto the YVEA distribution system. This form will behave dynamically depending on which resource you are trying to connect. Please fill out this form for either exporting resources (i.e solar), or non-exporting systems (i.e backup battery). Unless a meter socket adapter is involved, this form is not required for traditional standby generator (gas or diesel). 

This application will take approximately 30 minutes and will require uploading several documents. 
We recommend that you read through the entire form before beginning, and save your progress along the way. 
Submit application questions to interconnections@yvea.com or call 970-879-1160

⬆️Select "System owner" if project was DIY
⬆️Contractor that is supplying an inverter or any add on equipment should complete this form. 

⬆️Applicants for new construction with no existing YVEA service must also work through the Start Service process.

Contractor / Installer Information










YVEA Member Information



Please make sure the contact information is correct, it will be used throughout the interconnection process

Please make sure the contact information is correct, it will be used throughout the interconnection process


⬆️Use a billing statement or our SmartHub portal to acquire the account number, and meter number. Leave blank for new construction with no existing YVEA service.

⬆️ If interconnecting behind multiple meters, please fill out an application for each meter.


⬆️The total kW rating of the community solar + the additional exporting resources may not exceed 10kW for residential services, or 25kW for all other rate classes.
Installation Information:











Grid Export
Export Limits:

"Export limited / non export" controls will be permitted so long as a grid sellback letter is signed from an original equipment manufacturer and submitted prior to the system entering an export mode of operation. Assurance shall be provided that a Net Metered system will not export more than 10kW for a residential service or 25kW for all other rate classes, and that the setting may not easily be changed without utility approval. YVEA will scrutinize the integrity of this document. See example letter here. 



Configuration Details

Utility Safety Disconnect Switch (USDS)
See our example Single Line Diagram for applicable location of this component

The USDS must sit on the utility side of the entire solar, battery, inverter and MID/EMS system
and be capable of de-energizing or isolating it from the grid. If not visible from the meter, a map placard must be provided on the meter enclosure to clearly show its location.

Knife blade type, or externally located breakers in a lockable enclosure may be approved. If applying to use a breaker as a USDS, breaker kAIC must be rated for the sum of a transformer line to neutral fault current plus the total fault current contribution from the onsite DER. Use our Maximum Available Fault Current Table to assist in this calculation. 

USDS enforcement will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.





REQUIRED LABELING FOR USDS:

ON THE METER ENCLOSURE: 

ON THE USDS ENCLOSURE: 


IF DER IS NOT IMMEDIETLY VISIBLE FROM THE UTILITY METER:
 
Member Supplied Meter Enclosure 
Per our Engineering Service Requirements Manual, all installations require member to supply a socket meeting NEMA 3R standard, ringless, and include a lever bypass type. Members are responsible for all maintenance of meter sockets. If your current meter enclosure does not meet these standards, we will require that you upgrade your enclosure to receive approval to construct the Net Metered System. To de-energize the line side of a meter, ask for Dispatch at 970-871-1160
If you are adding on to an existing Net Metered system, you may select only the components that are being added⬇️

Solar Photovoltaic Array





Array is fixed


Array is single axis tracking



Inverter(s)







Batteries










Meter Socket Adapter
Accepted Meter Socket Adapters:
  1. ConnectDER Solar v5.2 MSA
  2. ConnectDER IslanDER v1 MSA
  3. Enphase IQ Meter Collar
  4. Generac Meter Switch



Standalone configuration, behind the meter configuration
Load Control
YVEA offers rebates on certain load control devices, remember to take advantage of this program!
Click here to learn more!


EV Charger
YVEA offers rebates on EV chargers, remember to take advantage of this program!
Click here to learn more!







Rapid Shutdown Switch
This is required by the national electric code for roof mounted solar, and systems with batteries. In some cases, the utility safety disconnect switch can satisfy this requirement. See article 706.15 in the 2023 NEC for further information.

REQUIRED LABELING FOR RAPID SHUTDOWN:
AT INNITIATOR DEVICE:

FOR SYSTEMS WITH BATTERIES:
Microgrid Interconnection Device (MID)




Synchronous Generator




Other Component (s)








Uploads Required for Submittal
File Types Accepted: (JPG, PNG, PDF)






Payment Information
A non refundable fee of $250.00 must accompany all applications. Please click this LINK to process payment. Additionally, please provide us with the Payment Transaction ID once payment is complete.

Final Acknowledgements

Meter Socket Adapters:

This Meter Socket Adapter Liability Release Acknowledgement (“Agreement”) is entered into between the above-stated Member, the above-stated Contractor (if Applicable) and Yampa Valley Electric Association, Inc. (“YVEA” or the “Cooperative”), each individually referred to as a “Party” and collectively referred to as the “Parties.”

Member wishes to utilize a Meter Socket Adapter (MSA), as defined below, for the purpose of interconnecting solar PV, battery energy storage, electric vehicle charging, or other Distributed Energy Resources (DER) at Member’s premises.

The terms and conditions of this Agreement are supplemental to YVEA’s Rules and Regulations, Interconnection Policy, and Net Metering Policy, and are consistent with Colorado House Bill 26-1007 (C.R.S. § 40-9.5-118), which requires cooperative electric associations to allow customer ownership and use of meter socket (collar) adapters and prohibits requiring a production meter as a condition of interconnection for a customer-sited DER.

Member and YVEA hereby agree to the following terms and conditions:


Terms and Conditions

 

 A Meter Socket Adapter (MSA), also referred to in the industry as a meter collar adapter, is a Member-owned device installed between the meter socket, whether Member-owned or YVEA-owned, and the YVEA-owned service meter for the interconnection of Distributed Energy Resources such as, but not limited to, solar PV, battery energy storage, or electric vehicle charging. An MSA is also used for electrical isolation of the Member’s site for energy backup purposes.

Intended Purpose: The MSA shall be used only for its intended purpose and strictly in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and listing.  


Approved MSAs: YVEA shall publish and maintain a list of approved MSA product models, tracked by the Cooperative’s Energy Resources Department and posted with the DER Interconnection Form. The list will be updated at least annually and may be amended from time to time. Only approved MSAs may be used behind YVEA’s service meter. Approved MSAs must be UL Listed, must be suitable per the adapter’s UL listing documentation for use in meter sockets rated up to two hundred (200) amperes, and must be compatible with the existing service equipment at the installation location.   


Review of MSAs Not on the Approved List: Consistent with HB 26-1007 (C.R.S. § 40-9.5-118), a Member or MSA manufacturer may submit a proposed adapter for review through the DER Interconnection Form. YVEA will complete its review within ninety (90) days of submission and shall approve the proposed MSA if it: (i) is certified for compliance with UL 414 by a nationally recognized testing laboratory; (ii) is physically and electrically compatible with the UL listings of existing equipment at the installation location and meets all National Electrical Code clearance and safety standards; (iii) is adequately rated for the connected equipment (solar, battery storage, EV charging, or energy efficiency measures); and (iv) does not compromise the structural integrity of the meter enclosure or interfere with safe meter operation. YVEA may deny a proposed MSA only if it fails one or more of these requirements, and will provide written notice explaining which requirement(s) were not met and how the proposed MSA differs from a YVEA-approved MSA. If installation of an approved MSA requires relocation of the meter enclosure or replacement of the meter housing, YVEA will provide an estimate of the associated costs upon Member request.


Procedure: Member will follow YVEA’s standard DER interconnection process for every MSA installation, whether or not a net metering agreement is being pursued. Member, or an installer acting on Member’s behalf, must first submit a completed DER Interconnection Form (which also serves as the net metering application for DERs seeking a net metering agreement with the Cooperative). Construction may not begin until YVEA has issued written approval to construct and, where applicable, a signed interconnection agreement has been returned to YVEA. Once approval to construct has been issued, Member’s licensed electrician must call YVEA Dispatch at (970) 871-1160 with at least two business days’ advance notice to schedule a disconnect event so the service can be safely de-energized for installation of the MSA. The MSA shall not be installed, and the meter shall not be pulled, without a scheduled and confirmed YVEA disconnect. YVEA will re-energize the service and verify metering following installation.


Installation: The MSA must be installed by a licensed electrician — an electrical contractor registered with the Colorado State Electrical Board (Master Electrician, Journeyman Electrician, Residential Wireman, or properly supervised Apprentice) — working under a scheduled YVEA disconnect as described above. No person other than a licensed electrician operating under a scheduled disconnect is authorized to install the MSA behind YVEA’s service meter. Only YVEA personnel are authorized to remove, reinstall, or otherwise handle YVEA’s service meter and metering seals. If a non-authorized service provider installs the MSA, or if installation occurs without a scheduled YVEA disconnect, YVEA will not be responsible for any claims, losses, liabilities, damages, or expenses (including attorneys’ fees and costs) arising directly or indirectly from the unauthorized installation, and YVEA may require removal of the device


Ownership: The MSA shall be Member-owned, and Member will retain ownership of the MSA unless YVEA clearly demonstrates a safety-based need for ownership to be transferred to the Cooperative. YVEA will not require a production meter as a condition of interconnecting a customer-sited DER through an MSA.

Right to Deny: YVEA reserves the right to deny the use of an MSA at any point during the interconnection process where the device, the installation location, or the proposed configuration does not meet the requirements of this Agreement, YVEA’s Interconnection Policy, the National Electrical Code, or applicable safety standards. YVEA may publish a non-exclusive list of prohibited installations to aid Members and their installers, and may determine at its sole discretion that an MSA is not allowed in a particular instance even if that circumstance is not documented on the list.


Warranty: YVEA disclaims any and all express or implied warranty of the MSA, including without limitation any implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose, merchantability, usability, and habitability. The MSA is warrantied solely as provided by the manufacturer.

Maintenance: YVEA is not responsible for any maintenance work or failure of the MSA. In the event of an MSA failure, Member is responsible for obtaining a replacement MSA and for scheduling a licensed electrician and a YVEA disconnect event to replace it.

Service Interruptions: Member acknowledges that an MSA blocks operation of the meter socket bypass lever, and that YVEA will therefore have to interrupt service — causing blinks or outages, possibly without advance notice — any time the meter must be exchanged, tested, or serviced. Member accepts those interruptions and is responsible for protecting Member’s own sensitive equipment.


Further Acknowledgements: Regarding the MSA, each party further understands and acknowledges that:

a. YVEA shall have no obligation with respect to the operation or maintenance of the MSA, except that YVEA will de-energize the service and remove and re-install YVEA’s service meter when scheduled for the purpose of installation, maintenance, or removal of the MSA.


b. Member hereby releases and forever discharges YVEA and its affiliates, and its and their respective directors, officers, managers, employees, agents, operators, representatives, and members (“YVEA Released Parties”) from all claims, demands, or causes of action that Member may have, and from all liabilities and obligations whatsoever, for all loss, damages, costs and expenses, attorneys’ fees, and other liabilities arising from any injury to person or damage to property attributable to, relating in any manner to, or caused by the Member-owned MSA (collectively “Claims”), including any damage to the MSA as a result of or related to YVEA’s installation, repair, maintenance, upgrades, or other YVEA services conducted at Member’s property, except to the extent such damage is due to YVEA’s gross negligence or willful misconduct.


c. Member agrees to be responsible for, and to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the YVEA Released Parties from and against, any third-party claims caused by Member’s negligence or willful misconduct, or by the negligence or willful misconduct of Member’s electrician or installer.


d. Should the MSA at any time become unsafe or unsuitable in YVEA’s sole opinion, YVEA shall have the right to manually override a connection or disconnection setting, to disconnect the device, or to require its removal.


e. Member is responsible for reading and following the owner’s manual(s) and warning labels for the MSA provided by the manufacturer, including but not limited to any safety instructions and warnings, and any other information supplied by the manufacturer related to the safe and proper use of the MSA.


f. The MSA manufacturer will be the point of contact for any questions or issues that arise relating to the MSA. In the event the MSA fails to operate correctly, Member will contact the manufacturer, not YVEA, for troubleshooting and/or repair of the MSA.


g. Member is responsible for all administrative, trip, and disconnect-event charges associated with YVEA’s support of the MSA installation, as set forth in YVEA’s current schedule of fees.


h. By submitting the DER Interconnection Form to request use of an MSA, Member acknowledges and agrees to fully waive the Cooperative’s liability for any damage caused by the Member-owned MSA to Member property.


As a YVEA Member, I have read, understood, and agreed to the terms of the Agreement set forth above. By signing this Agreement, I represent that I am authorized to do so on behalf of the party holding title to the stated physical location. Members who inherit an MSA device at an existing service location must agree to this same language upon start of service.

  • Indemnification: The Member shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Cooperative, its directors, officers, and employees from and against any and all claims, losses, liabilities, and expenses (including reasonable attorney's fees) for injury to or death of any person or damage to property arising out of or in connection with the design, construction, operation, or maintenance of the Customer's net metering system, except to the extent caused by the sole negligence or willful misconduct of the Utility.

  • Outage Liability: The Utility shall not be liable for any loss of revenue, credits, or solar energy production incurred by the Member resulting from any interruption, suspension, or curtailment of the Utility's electric service or the Member’s ability to export energy to the grid. This includes, but is not limited to, outages for maintenance, repairs, emergencies, or safety-related shutdowns. The Utility makes no guarantee of continuous service and shall not be obligated to compensate the Member for any energy that would have been produced or exported but for the service interruption.

  • Production Guarantee: Member acknowledges that by approving the installation of the proposed system, YVEA does not guarantee or warrant production equal to the installed capacity of the generator, the success of the generator, or the overall performance of the system. YVEA is only responsible for approving interconnection of the generator to YVEA’s system in a manner that is consistent with YVEA’s Rules and Regulations.

  • Rates: YVEA’s general services rates are broken into segments, the energy rate, the system access cost, and the transmission demand charge (spring '27). The energy rate is measured in kWh and covers energy received from, or exported to YVEA. The system access cost is a flat monthly charge that covers poles, wires, staffing and other system related items that are still needed by net metered services, and therefore is not a charge that will be offset by generator production. The transmission demand charge is based off of the highest draw from YVEA, measured in kW, between the hours of 5-9PM per billing cycle. I hereby acknowledge that YVEA’s energy rate, system access and demand charge could change in the future. Go to our Rates and Fees page for more information. 
  • Billing and Accreditation: I acknowledge and understand that under YVEA's Net Metering Program, electricity generated by my qualifying renewable energy system may be exported to the YVEA distribution system and tracked through a net metering account. Exported energy (kWh) will be credited to my account and applied against future eligible energy consumption in accordance with YVEA's applicable tariffs, policies, and billing practices. I further acknowledge that any accumulated or banked net metering energy credits remaining on my account at the end of the annual accrual period (March - March), or upon termination of electric service, will be compensated by YVEA at the then-current Rate 50 energy credit value posted on YVEA's website. Upon such payment, the banked usage account will be reset for the subsequent annual period, or forfeited in the case of service ending. 


  • Voltage Rise: YVEA is responsible for providing voltage to the service location within ANSI C84.1-1995, Range A (IEEE 1547-4.1.1). YVEA is not responsible for conductor sizing or voltage drop between the inverter and the Point of Common Coupling (meter). The submitting party acknowledges that should significant voltage drop lead to inverter disconnection due to raised voltage, the member will be responsible for the cost of upsizing secondary conductors or any other necessary service upgrades. The submitting party also acknowledges that if secondary voltage drop exceeds manufacturer's recommendation that DER power output may be curtailed.

  • Power Quality: Member Acknowledges that if this generation system causes the power quality to fall outside of YVEA parameters, YVEA has the right to disconnect the electrical service. YVEA staff will follow disconnect procedures in the posted Rules and Regs.

  • Other Regulatory Agencies: Member acknowledges that there are other regulatory agencies that require approvals for a generation system other than YVEA and that it is their responsibility to obtain such approval prior to installation. Member understands that failure to obtain such approval from these agencies could delay or change the outcome of my system. 
  • Personhood: I am a YVEA Member and completing this Application on my own behalf or I am an agent of the YVEA Member/Applicant and am authorized (i) to complete and submit this Application on behalf of the Member/Applicant named herein (ii) to make the certifications set forth in the paragraph immediately below and (iii) to bind myself and the Member/Applicant as set forth in the paragraph immediately below.

  • Accuracy: I hereby certify that, to the best of my knowledge, the information provided in this Application is true. I agree to abide by YVEA’s Net Metering Policy, Interconnection Policy, tariffs, and the terms and conditions found in applicable law for interconnecting an inverter-based interconnection resource no larger than 10kW, or 25kW, each as amended from time to time. I will return the Certificate of Completion form (emailed to you once approved for construction) when the interconnection resource has been installed.
  • Electronic Signature: By typing my name below, I certify that the information provided in this Application, together with the attachments hereto, accurately describes the system that the Member/Applicant seeks to connect to YVEA’s electrical distribution system. By typing my name below, I certify that the system described in this Application and in the attachments hereto complies, in all respects, with YVEA’s Rules and Regulations, Interconnection Policy, and other applicable policies. By typing my name below, I agree to comply with and be bound by YVEA’s Rules and Regulations, Interconnection Policy, and other applicable policies with respect to the system described in this Application and in the attachments hereto. By typing my name below, it is my intent to sign this Application. I understand and agree that my electronic signature has the same force and effect as my handwritten signature and that my electronic signature cannot be denied legal effect or enforceability solely because it is in electronic form. I agree to complete and submit this Application electronically.


Save my progress and resume later | Resume a previously saved form