Step 1

File the NCUC Report of Proposed Construction or Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity

All generation facilities must submit a Report of Proposed Construction, or if more than 2 megawatts (MW), apply and receive a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity from the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC). These requirements provide the necessary notification to install a renewable generation facility in the State of North Carolina.
The following information is provided to assist customers in meeting requirements under N.C. General Statutes and is not intended to interpret or replace provisions of any statute or regulation.

What you need to know

• The State of North Carolina requires that a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) be obtained before a customer commences construction of a generating facility. See N.C.G.S. §62-110.1 for complete text.
• Section (g) of the statute exempts facilities under 2 MW that are fueled by a renewable energy resource or facilities that are primarily for self-generation purposes from the CPCN requirement. However, generators that are exempt from the CPCN requirement must instead submit a Report of Proposed Construction to the NCUC and provide a copy to the interconnecting utility prior to construction.

Report of Proposed Construction Requirements (generators under 2 MW fueled by renewable resources or facilities that are primarily for self-generation purposes)

NCUC Rule R8-64 provides information required to submit a Report of Proposed Construction to the NCUC. In addition, please submit a copy of the report to the local NCEMC member distribution cooperative to which the facility will be interconnected.

Visit the NCUC website to acquire the docket number once the document is filed with the Commission. Search Tip: Search for the docket number filing in the “All documents by date” section and select “SP-Small Power Producer” in the “For company types” section.

Contact Information for NCUC:

For USPS mail:
North Carolina Utilities Commission
4325 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-4300

For FedEx, UPS or other overnight service:
North Carolina Utilities Commission
Dobbs Building
430 North Salisbury Street
Raleigh, NC 27603-5918

Step 2

Request Approval to Interconnect

All generation developers that intend to interconnect renewable generation to operate in parallel with the utility grid must adhere to all requirements and conditions of the NCEMC member distribution cooperative. Developers that own qualifying generation facilities such as solar and wind will begin the interconnection process by contacting the NCEMC member distribution cooperative and submitting an Interconnection Request to the NCEMC member distribution cooperative with which an interconnection agreement is sought.

Step 3

Submit Notice of Commitment to Sell Output

After completing Steps 1 and 2,the developer of a generator must submit a “Notice of Commitment to Sell the Output of a Qualifying Facility to NCEMC” form (NOC Form) is submitted to NCEMC to establish a legally enforceable obligation. The NOC Form is available at the bottom of this page and requires the inclusion of an 8760 hour load shape spreadsheet (also available at the bottom of this page). Submission of the NOC Form begins the timeline on the Power Purchase Agreement process.

Step 4

Execute Interconnection Agreement

Execute an Interconnection Agreement with the NCEMC member distribution cooperative to which the generator is interconnecting.

Step 5

Negotiate and Execute a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)

A PPA establishes the conditions, contract length of term, and rate for which the electricity will be purchased. If your facility is 100 kW or smaller, you qualify for our standard offer, which can be found in the “Resources” section at the bottom of this page.

To begin this process, contact: NCEMCrenewables@ncemcs.com