With the collaboration of Ericka Araújo
CPFL Energia published, last Friday (10), a new revision of its technical standard GED-15.303 – Connection of Micro and Mini Distributed Generation under an Electric Energy Compensation System, which brings changes to the use of photovoltaic inverters in distributed microgeneration systems.
The document determines the need for new project connection requests to comply with INMETRO regulations and in line with Ordinances 140 and 515, published in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
The measure therefore makes the use of AFCI mandatory (Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter) in inverters with nominal power of up to 75 kW within the CPFL concession area, since INMETRO regulations provide that:
- Inverters with power up to 10 kW must contain the device until December 1, 2024, while those between 10 kW and 75 kW must meet this requirement from May 2, 2025 (image below).
In other words, from these dates (December 1, 2024 and May 2, 2025) the use of the safety device in inverters is mandatory in CPFL's concession area, with all connection quote requests having to meet these requirements.
According to CPFL, the measure aims to mitigate fire risks related to possible electrical failures. Proof of compliance with the standard will be required when requesting connection to the electrical grid.
One point that draws attention in the new CPFL regulation is the absence of a rule that deals with inverters that are not in accordance with Ordinance 140, but that were acquired before the entry into force of this same Ordinance, which could be sold until the end of the stock, according to the INMETRO management itself, on its official page.
This means that, despite no longer being able to manufacture or import, non-AFCI inverters will be able to continue to be sold until the available stock is completely depleted.
This INMETRO guideline guarantees a transition, allowing companies to use equipment already purchased before fully adapting their stocks to the new requirements.
However, the CPFL document does not address this permission and immediately imposes the obligation that all new technical opinions use inverters with AFCI, disregarding the existence of previous stocks.
The report by Canal Solar contacted CPFL to clarify the matter. In a statement, the company said the following:
“CPFL informs that INMETRO Ordinance No. 140/2022 has been amended, adding requirements for inverters as of 01/12/2024, including protection against electric arcs, called AFCI (Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter). As this is a change in technical standards and norms due to urgency motivated by legislation, item I, §2 of art. 20 of REN No. 1.000/2021 of the ANEEL establishes that the entry into force must be immediate. Therefore, CPFL updated its technical standard with a view to ensuring compliance with current INMETRO legislation”.
GED 15.303 also highlights that “if certificates are presented that indicate, even partially, applicable foreign technical standards (German VDE, Italian CEI, international IEC, etc.), even if the accreditation of the laboratory in the network of accredited institutions where tests equivalent to ABNT were performed is indicated, the consumer (or his designer, on his behalf) must provide, in the Connection Request, a statement from the inverter manufacturer assuming the veracity that they are equivalent, for each functionality, to those contained in the Brazilian standards, even if they exceed them”.
To this end, in connections to the low voltage (LV) distribution grid, the inverter must be capable of interrupting the flow of current from the microgeneration to the CPFL grid in the event of any disturbance that triggers the protection functions indicated in the table in this section.
And in connections to the medium voltage (MV) distribution network, the sectioning device must also be visible, in addition to being accessible at any time to CPFL's authorized technical personnel.
In installations with installed generation capacity greater than 300 kW, it will be necessary to install a recloser, in accordance with GED 15197, with remote supervision resources in which the protection functions may or may not be enabled, at CPFL's discretion, and installed at the connection point of the feeder circuit where the consumer's parallelism is established.
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Answers of 2
What I see is that some manufacturers took precautions in advance and registered with INMETRO and already have the certificate. However, CPFL is rejecting projects, simply because the company already has the certificate (dated before 01/12/2024).
It is clear that it is mandatory after this date, I just don't understand why they reject projects that already have this certificate, valid, by the way.
I say this because I have a project stopped at CPFL, a kit purchased with a Weg inverter, its registration with INMETRO was made in March 1, the certificate appears as valid, but CPFL does not accept it, it is refusing it, claiming that the date must be after December 03, 2024.
but this has been mandatory since 1 Dec 24.
simple security issue