Solar power plant – check to see if you can connect to the electricity distribution network

With residents showing a great interest in having renewable energy source-powered, namely, solar or wind power plants, installed, ESO urges its customers to be alert and not to rely solely on tempting contractor offers to rush to receive a government grant this year. There has been a number of cases when customers rush to have a solar or a wind power plant installed as soon as possible, without knowing the capacity of the electricity network, and later it turns out that the installed power plant cannot be connected to the distribution network. Due to the indifference of contractors or lack of knowledge of customers, it turns out that the network has insufficient capacity to absorb the generated electricity. 

ESO recommends checking if a power plant can be connected to ESO distribution network and looking into the conditions of connection before installing a power plant. The instantly issued ESO’s conditions will detail the ability of the distribution network to accept electricity generated by a solar power plant. 

“Customer’s consumption capacity does not necessarily mean that a power plant of the same capacity can be installed. Be sure to obtain ESO’s conditions, which will lay down the possibilities for connecting a power plant”, Renaldas Radvila, Head of the Service Department at ESO, advised.

ESO has recorded cases in districts of Vilkaviškis, Šiauliai and Alytus when having rushed to have a solar power plant installed, customers quickly find out that the network needs a reconstruction, which in turn requires a considerable investment - depending on the specific situation, the network reconstruction is estimated to cost EUR 10 000 - EUR 50 000. Power plant owners have to cover this investment rather than all electricity users through a distribution tariff when paying their electricity bills. 

An even sadder experience is when power plants are connected arbitrarily. Arbitrary work leaves both a power plant owner and residents of surrounding villages, towns or regions without electricity. Inappropriately operated power plants disrupt the work of other power plants in the neighbourhood, damaging home appliances of neighbours and the newly installed power plant of the owner himself. This happens when contractors do not bother, while owners of power plants are not aware of the need to have installation conditions approved with ESO before installing a power plant. For more information about connecting generating consumers to ESO network, read https://www.eso.lt/lt/namams/elektra/jei-elektra-gaminu-pats/kaip-prijungiamas-gaminantis-klientas.html. 

ESO specialists urge residents to refrain from any arbitrary actions in the installation of solar power plants, encouraging them to obtain connection conditions issued by the Company, and entrusting work to certified specialists who are experts in installing power plants. It is important to keep in mind that having completed works, contractors must provide ESO with a declaration certifying that the power plant has been installed in an orderly manner and will properly operate.

Please be reminded that since July of this year, persons (both legal and natural) willing to have power plants of up to 30 kilowatts (kW) installed have been subject to simplified and shorter procedures. Customers no longer need a permission to develop electricity generation capacities and to generate electricity. Such changes allow completing all formalities within 30 days rather than a few months, as it was before.