Power supply with micro capacity on the site

Micro capacity power plant is electricity generation object under ownership of a customer or group of customers (including possession, lease, leasing or other form), which uses renewable energy source and is connected to the electricity distribution network by connecting to the customer’s internal network or directly distribution   network. Installed capacity of micro capacity power plant does not exceed 100 kW.

The upper limit of the installed capacity of a micro capacity power plant connected to the system operator's distribution network is 500 kilowatts until 20% of the peak load is utilized by the total installed capacity of micro capacity power plant in the system operator's distribution network.

Retail customer or group of customers has right to request connection of micro capacity power plant under its ownership to the distribution network. Connection of micro capacity power plant to the distribution network is carried out with the condition to pay “the cost for micro capacity power plant connection” to the distribution licensee, in accordance with the requirements of “Electricity (capacity) supply and consumption rules”. Installed capacity of micro capacity power plant under retail customer ownership should not exceed capacity of the customer to be connected to distribution network, and installed capacity of micro capacity power plant under ownership of the group of retails customers – total capacity of this group of customers to be connected to the distribution network.

The excess electricity generated by a micro-power plant connected before January 1, 2027 shall be subject to the remuneration conditions determined by the retail market rules that were in effect by that time of connection of this micro-power plant to the distribution network, namely:

a) If the micro capacity power plant connected to the distribution network when total installed capacity limit of micro capacity power plants connected to the system operator network was utilized - mechanism of net billing settlement foreseen by retail market rules will be applied to excess electricity produced by it. 

b) If a micro capacity power plant was connected to the distribution network  when total installed capacity limit of  micro capacity power plants connected  to the system operator network was not utilized  - mechanism for net metering settlement foreseen by retail market rules will be applied  to the excess electricity produced by it.

c) The customer who owns a micro-power plant has the right to request   switching to the payment regime specified in subparagraphs "a" or "b" of this paragraph, which is in effect by the time of submitting the request.

The use of a micro-power plant can be requested by both an existing customer and a person wishing to be connected to a new facility. Accordingly, a person wishing to use a micro-power plant must pay the following fees in accordance with the request:

a) In case of connection to the internal network of an existing customer – the “smart meter installation fee” specified in Appendix No. 4;

b) In case of direct connection of a micro-power plant to the distribution network – the “Fee for connecting a new facility to the distribution network at 0.220 kV, 0.380 kV, and 6/10 kV voltages” provided for in Appendix No. 2 and the “Fee for installing a smart meter” provided for in Appendix No. 4;

c) In case of a customer’s request to use a micro-power plant (for the installation of a smart meter) – the “Smart Meter Installation Fee” specified in Appendix No. 4, except in cases where the consumer is connected to the low voltage side of a common transformer station or has a smart meter;

d) In case of capacity increase,  when  there is  an increase of  customer’s connecting capacity during the  usage of   micro capacity power plant  connected to the internal network or an increase of capacity of micro capacity power plant connected  directly to the distribution network or an increase of the capacity of  customer using micro capacity power plant  -  fee foreseen by the  rules on capacity increase.

The installed capacity of a micro-power plant connected to the distribution network through an inverter is defined as the smallest capacity between the installed capacity on the Alternating current (AC) side of the inverter and the installed capacity of the generation equipment on the Direct current (DC) side.

A customer who owns their own electricity generation facility (including a micro-power plant) with an installed capacity of 50 kilowatts or more is obliged to attach to the application for connection to the grid and periodically update information about the installed capacity of their own electricity generation facility with the system operator.

Confirmation of installed capacity of own electricity generation facility is carried out on the basis of conclusion/Act “On Confirmation of installed capacity of own electricity generation facility”. The mentioned conclusion/Act shall include the part of arrangement of the own electricity generation facility and its connection to the network, as well as the information on installed capacity of installed capacity of this own generation facility, reserve or/and the ones under repairing process.

When there is a request for connection of an own electricity generation facility with installed capacity of 50 kilowatts or more to the distribution network, though by the time of application, installed capacity of the own electricity generation facility requested in the application, in such case, conclusion of accredited person "On confirmation of the installed capacity of the own electricity generation facility" should be submitted to the system operator within 8 months period from the completion of the connection works.

In case of a change of installed capacity of a micro-power plant (including a micro-power plant connected to the customer's internal network), customer is obliged to notify system operator immediately in writing.

It is not permitted to connect a micro-power plant with an installed capacity of more than 100 kilowatts to the distribution network or to increase the installed capacity of an already connected micro-power plant to an installed capacity of more than 100 kw, when the total installed capacity of micro-power plants connected to the system operator's distribution network exceeds 20 percent of the peak load of the same distribution network. (20% of the peak load in JSC "Energo-Pro Georgia" network is utilized)

In an installed capacity of micro power plant under ownership of the customer or group of customers exceeds  total connecting  capacity of the customer or group of customers to the  distribution network (but no more than the  upper limit of installed capacity  established  by the commission for  micro power plant), System operator defines to the customer registered on customer number or group of customers  for starting the process of capacity increase ( for the applying the  system operator with the relevant application) or/and bringing the installed capacity of micro power plant  in compliance with the customer’s  (or group of the customers) distribution network  no less than 20 day period.  And in case of unsuccessful completion of the period, system operator will terminate supply of micro power plant or that customer on whose internal network the micro power plant is connected by notifying the customer or group of customers through text message at least 10 working days in advance.

If the installed capacity of a micro-power plant exceeds the upper limit of installed capacity established by the Commission for a micro-power plant, from the date of recording this fact, the electricity generation facility loses the status of a micro-power plant provided for in paragraph 1 of Article 21 of the Rules and the billing and settlement conditions established by the legislation of Georgia for the owner of the micro-power plant are suspended.

The maximum peak load of the distribution network of JSC “ENERGO-PRO Georgia” in 2024 amounted to 1098 MW. According to paragraph 9 of Article 21 of Resolution #19 dated on June 28, 2021 of the Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission, the maximum installed capacity of micro-power plants allowed on the network is 219.6 MW. As of February 28, 2025, installed capacity of micro-power plants connected to the network and received by the applications exceeded the allowed capacity on the network.