Interconnection Experience

This page contains scorecards and reported metrics related to the interconnection experience, which are further described below:

• Total Distributed Energy Resource (DER) Interconnection Time Scorecard
• Truck Roll Response Time Scorecard
• Independent Power Producer (IPP) Interconnection Reported Metric
• Interconnection Cost Overrun Reported Metric

Total DER Interconnection Time Scorecard

The Total DER Interconnection Time Scorecard tracks the average total time to complete the interconnection of customers’ DER systems in a calendar year. This includes all steps in the interconnection process,¹ compared to an annual targeted performance.

In determining the average total interconnection time for this scorecard, the company uses the Updated Adjusted Average methodology.² The chart below shows the average total interconnection time in calendar days (i.e., the Updated Adjusted Average) to interconnect projects completed for each of the Hawaiian Electric divisions, compared to the annual target.

¹ Includes steps within and outside the company’s control.
² Instead of removing outliers from the determination of the average, the Updated Adjusted Average methodology caps the time within the company’s control at two standard deviations above the mean, to mitigate the concern that the company might have a disincentive to complete interconnection requests if outliers approaching the outlier threshold (i.e., two standard deviations above the mean) are removed from the average. This ensures that all systems are counted and eliminates undesirable incentives for systems approaching the two-standard-deviation limit. See D&O 37787, filed in Docket No. 2018-0088, at 17-19.

Metric: The company’s respective average (mean) total number of calendar days to interconnect DER systems <100 kW in size, in a calendar year.

Target:³

2021: 115 days

2022: 100 days

2023: 85 days

³ Target applies to each of the counties of Hawaiian Electric Company.

Reporting Frequency: Annual

Hawaiian Electric Company

Please click the button below for historical data (in Excel format).

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Truck Roll Response Time Scorecard

The Truck Roll Response Time Scorecard tracks the time it takes for the company to respond when a truck is dispatched to provide services for customers. Meter replacements is the metric used for this scorecard.

The truck roll response time will begin on the following business day after field personnel receive clearance that work can be initiated on a customer request for a meter replacement. It concludes once the meter has been installed. If the company encounters any issues beyond its control while replacing a customer’s meter, truck roll response tracking for that meter replacement will be omitted from the data. Once a resolution is identified, a new truck roll response time will be initiated, tracked and recorded.

The company’s reported results reflect various impacts to meter replacement work. For example, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, modifications to the company’s operating procedures were needed to ensure the safety of employees and the public. This led to service delays for meter replacements to accommodate safety protocols such as social distancing. In particular, there were service delays for meter replacement work on Molokai and Lanai due to interisland travel, which was subject to state-imposed travel restrictions in response to the pandemic. Please refer to the link below for additional notes detailing other operational impacts reflected in the company’s truck roll response times.

Metric: Truck roll-related response times for meter change-outs for DER and non-DER customers, by company division reported on an annual basis.

Target: 10 business days or 14 calendar days

Reporting Frequency: Annual

HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC COMPANY METER REPLACEMENT TRUCK ROLL RESPONSE

Oahu
Meter Replacement Truck Roll Response
Target: 10 Business Days

Maui County
Meter Replacement Truck Roll Response
Target: 10 Business Days

Hawaii Island
Meter Replacement Truck Roll Response
Target: 10 Business Days

Please click the button below for historical data (in Excel format).

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IPP Interconnection Reported Metric

This metric gathers information from projects to determine how much it costs and how long it takes for an IPP project to interconnect to the company’s island grids. This metric assumes that projects would be competitively procured through Requests for Proposals (RFP). The company’s current interconnection process has evolved over time. This metric is intended to help develop a broader understanding of the issues related to bringing an IPP project online. This data may then be used to identify opportunities for improvement and potential incentive mechanisms in the future.

Metric: For each IPP Project with a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) approved by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (PUC):

• Project name
• Island
• Technology
• Procurement type
• Size (MW)
• Interconnection voltage
• Time to interconnect by step (steps both in and out of the company’s control, to the extent known), beginning when models are requested by the company and ending when the project achieves commercial operation
• RFP unit cost information
• Cost to interconnect, including among other things the delta between estimated and actual costs

Reporting Frequency: Annual and as new IPP projects are brought online

The summary tables below are categorized by island and interconnection voltage level. Interconnection requirements generally increase in complexity as voltage increases. The tables provide summary information for the Interconnection Requirements Studies (IRS) and interconnection work that have been completed to date; the "# of projects" column illustrates the number of projects included in each Summary. Many projects are still going through the development process, so these summary tables will be further populated and updated as project work is completed. For more detailed information on each project, please see the spreadsheet file provided in the Download Historical Data button below.

Cost to Interconnect Summary

Notes:

1. Cost summaries above reflect projects completed to date from 2017 through 2021 (pre-Stage 1 and Stage 2). Stage 1 and 2 projects will be added upon completion.
2. Costs reflect only the Company's portion of the Company-Owned Interconnection Facilities (COIF). Company's scope and cost will vary by project, depending on whether the COIF is Company- or Developer-built. Projects done in the past often included the Company building a larger portion of the COIF and therefore they likely have had higher costs, whereas for projects currently under construction, the COIF is primarily being designed, procured and constructed by the developers and once completed, this chart will likely reflect much smaller numbers for the Company-built portion. The Company is not provided information from the developers on the final cost of the COIF for the portions built by the developer.
3. IRS actual cost includes any additional work required to accommodate Developer equipment or design changes.

Time to Interconnect Summary

Notes:

1. Together, the System Impact Study (SIS) and the Facility Study (FS) comprise the IRS. The SIS assesses the performance and impact that the operation of the proposed project(s) have on the system. The FS takes into account the SIS findings and requirements and determines the estimated cost, scope, and schedule of the Company-Owned Interconnection Facilities that must be designed, procured and installed to interconnect the proposed Project and bring the proposed Project into Commercial Operations.
2. Time summaries above reflect only the SIS and FS, rather than the completed IRS, which includes Developer Acceptance (Step 4). The summaries also do not include the time required to obtain working models and model check-out (Steps 1 and 1a).
3. Projects completed in 2017 through 2020 are not included because they did not utilize the bifurcated IRS process.

Please click the button below for historical data (in Excel format).

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Interconnection Cost Overrun Reported Metric

This metric will provide greater transparency into the cost to interconnect a utility scale IPP project to the company’s systems and provide insight into how often the actual cost for such work exceeds estimates prepared by the company. This metric is intended to provide greater transparency into the interconnection process and help to identify potential areas for improvement.

Metric: The percentage of times the actual cost of interconnection has exceeded the estimated cost of interconnection for utility-scale IPP projects with a PPA approved by the PUC.

Reporting Frequency: Annual