Renewable Energy Generators Interconnection: The United States Experience and Challenges to Overhaul the Brazilian Regulatory Model

The objective of this work is to analyze the regulatory framework for renewable energy generators interconnection. This study investigates this situation, evaluating the Brazilian regulatory reform proposal and comparing it with the regulatory reforms in the United States about transmission access. Results show that the increase in renewable source power plants has brought significant challenges to planning the energy transmission system expansion. Due to particular circumstances and the natural characteristics of some locations, access to specific transmission system connection points has become the subject of fierce disputes among generators. It also has caused queue backlogs for access request analyses. Global regulatory bodies have been analyzing models and alternatives to address delays and access request queues. We conclude that the new American regulation has improved significantly, which might positively influence the Brazilian generator interconnection procedures regulatory framework.