IEEE 1547.7 Guide to Conducting Distribution Impact Studies for Distributed Resource Interconnection

This guide describes criteria, scope and extent for engineering studies of the impact on area electric power systems of a distributed resource or aggregate distributed resource interconnected to an area electric power distribution system. This document describes a methodology for performing engineering studies of the potential impact of a distributed resource interconnected to an area electric power distribution system. Study scope and extent are described as functions of identifiable characteristics of the distributed resource, the area electric power system, and the interconnection. Criteria are described for determining the necessity of impact mitigation. Establishment of this guide allows distributed resource owners, interconnection contractors, area electric distribution power system owners and operators, and regulatory bodies to have a described methodology for when distribution system impact studies are appropriate, what data is required, how they are performed, and how the study results are evaluated. In the absence of such guidelines, the necessity and extent of DR interconnection impact studies has been widely and inconsistently defined and applied.