How to connect the premises to the electricity grid?

• The connection process begins with the submission of a completed application to determine the conditions for connecting to the operator of the distribution network competent for the energy region.

The template for the application to determine the conditions for connecting to the grid (including the necessary data and documents) is established and made available by the electricity undertaking.

For households, the application to determine the conditions for connecting to the grid may be submitted by a person who holds a legal title to use the house or plot of land, e.g. a property deed, a rental or lease agreement.

It should be noted that an application must also be submitted if the entity which is to be connected to the grid increases its demand for power or if changes are introduced to the current conditions and technical parameters for the operation of equipment, installations and grids.

• The electricity undertaking should acknowledge in writing the receipt of the application and in particular the date of receipt. This is important for determining when it will be required to issue the connection conditions to the applicant.

When are the connection conditions issued?

• The electricity undertaking is required to issue the connection conditions within a time limit depending on the connection group to which the applicant has been classified.

In view of the grid parameters, energy quality standards and the type and size of connected equipment, installations and networks, entities applying for grid connection are divided into the following groups:

1. connection group I – entities whose equipment, installations or networks are connected directly to the grid with a rated voltage higher than 110 kV;
2. connection group II – entities whose equipment, installations or networks are connected directly to the grid with a rated voltage of 110 kV;
3. connection group III – entities whose equipment, installations or networks are connected directly to the grid with a rated voltage higher than 1 kV but lower than 110 kV;
4. connection group IV – entities whose equipment, installations or networks are connected directly to the grid with a rated voltage equal to or lower than 1 kV and with a connection power higher than 40 kW;
5. connection group V – entities whose equipment, installations or networks are connected directly to the grid with a rated voltage equal to or lower than 1 kV and with a connection power not exceeding 40 kW;
6. connection group VI – entities whose equipment, installations or networks are connected to the grid via a temporary interface point to be replaced by a permanent interface point under the terms and conditions specified in the grid connection agreement, or entities whose equipment, installations or networks are connected to the grid for a defined period of time, but not longer than one year.

Depending on the connection group, an electricity undertaking is required to issue connection conditions within:

a. 21 days from the date of submission of the application by an applicant from group V or group VI connected to the grid with a voltage not higher than 1 kV;
b. 30 days from the date of submission of the application by an applicant from group IV connected to the grid with a voltage of not more than 1 kV;
c. 60 days from the date of submission of the application by an applicant from group III or group VI connected to the grid with a voltage of more than 1 kV, not equipped with an electricity source or storage;
d. 120 days from the date of submission of the application by an applicant from connection group III or VI – for a facility connected to the grid with a voltage higher than 1 kV, equipped with an electricity source or storage;
e. 150 days from the date of submission of the application by an applicant from connection group I or II;
f. 90 days from the date of submission of an application by an entity applying for connection to the electricity grid of an agricultural biogas plant with a total installed capacity of no more than 2 MW.

It is worth remembering that connection of the customer to the distribution network with a voltage of up to 1 kV (low-voltage network) applies to facilities such as, for example, residential buildings, habitations, small service establishments.

What do the conditions for connection to the electricity grid contain?

• On the basis of the application submitted, the conditions for connection are defined and a draft connection agreement with a timetable for the implementation of the works is prepared.
• Those documents contain all the technical details provided for by the Energy Law Act and the arrangements necessary for the implementation of the connection, including the scope of the equipment to be built and their technical parameters, the obligations of the parties, the date of connection, the validity of the agreement, the persons designated to coordinate the work, the liability of the parties, the dispute settlement rules. In addition, in the conditions for connection, the electricity undertaking also specifies the scope of work required for the connection.
• The connection conditions are valid for two years from the date of delivery.
• Once the conditions for connection to the grid have been communicated to the applicant, a grid connection agreement may be signed which provides the basis for the start of the design and construction and assembly works for the execution of the connection. Once it has been completed, technical acceptance is carried out and an acceptance protocol is drawn up.

Refusal to connect to the electricity grid

• In the event of refusal of connection to the electricity grid, the customer may seek assistance in resolving the dispute with the President of the Energy Regulatory Office  (hereinafter: ERO).
• A documented application must be submitted to the competent local branch of the ERO, which will issue an administrative decision after an investigation has been carried out. Any of the parties may appeal against this decision before the Warsaw Regional Court - Competition and Consumer Protection Court.

Agreement on connection to the electricity grid

• Pursuant to the Energy Law Act, the grid connection agreement should contain:

• the date of completion of the connection;
• the amount of the connection fee;
• the place of delimitation of ownership of the grid of the electricity undertaking and the installation of the connected entity;
• the scope of the works necessary for the implementation of the connection;
• requirements concerning the location of the measuring and settlement system and its parameters;
• the connection schedule;
• the conditions under which the property belonging to the connected entity is made available to the electricity undertaking in order to build or expand the grid necessary for the implementation of the connection;
• the expected date of conclusion of the agreement on the basis of which the supply of energy will take place;
• the amount of energy expected to be consumed;
• connection power;
• the liability of the parties for failure to comply with the terms of the agreement and, in particular, for delaying the completion date of the works in relation to that which was agreed in the agreement;
• the duration of the agreement and the conditions for its termination.

How much does the connection to the electricity grid cost?

• A fee determined on the basis of the rules laid down by the Energy Law Act is levied for connection to the grid. Pursuant to the provisions in force:

• for connection to a transmission grid and to an electricity grid with a rated voltage of more than 1 kV and not more than 110 kV, excluding the connection of sources and the grid, the fee is determined on the basis of one quarter of the actual expenditure incurred for the completion of the connection;
• for connection to an electricity grid with a rated voltage of not more than 1 kV, excluding the connection of sources and the grid, the fee is determined on the basis of the fee rates included in the tariff, calculated on the basis of one quarter of the average annual investment expenditure for the construction of the sections of the grid used to connect these entities, as specified in the development plan. Importantly, these rates may be calculated with regard to: the amount of connection power, the unit length of the section of the grid used for connection, or the type of such a section.

• The rates of fees for connection to the grid or the method for determining these fees are established in electricity tariffs approved by administrative decisions of the President of the ERO.
• If an electricity undertaking refuses a connection to the grid due to a lack of economic conditions, the parties can independently determine the grid connection fee in the grid connection agreement.

Connection to the electricity grid

• The connection of an entity to the grid is made on the basis of:

a. a sales agreement and agreements for the provision of transmission or distribution services, or
b. a comprehensive agreement
concluded by an electricity undertaking with the entities applying for it, subject to their fulfilment of the conditions for connection to the grid and reception.

It is worth remembering that undertakings are obliged to respect the principle of equal treatment and to connect renewable energy installations as a matter of priority, where technically and economically feasible.

• The connected entity must enable the electricity undertaking to build and expand the grid within its property to the extent necessary for the implementation of the connection and make available the premises or facilities for the installation of measurement systems under the conditions laid down in the agreement. On the other hand, the electricity undertaking is obliged to notify of the planned dates of these works in advance, allowing the entity which is to be connected to prepare the property or premises.

 

Legal basis: In Poland, the procedure for connection of customers to the distribution network of electricity undertakings is governed by the Energy Law Act of 10 April 1997 (consolidated text, Journal of Laws of 2024, item 266) and the implementing act thereto: Regulation of the Minister of Climate and Environment of 22 March 2023 on detailed conditions for the operation of the electricity system (Journal of Laws of 2023, item 819, as amended).