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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Qualifying Facilities (QF)
1. Who must file?
Facilities larger than 1 MW (1000kW) in size as defined by maximum net power production capacity must file a Form No. 556 
either as a self-certification (or self-recertification) or as an application for Commission certification
either as a self-certification (or self-recertification) or as an application for Commission certification
2. May I submit the Form No. 556 in person or via mail, courier, etc rather than electronically?
No. Effective 06/01/2010, the Form No. 556 must be filed electronically via the Commission
Electronic Filing (eFiling)
system. In order to submit the Form No. 556, you must first download the form-fillable pdf of Form No. 556 . Once you have completed the pdf, navigate with your browser to the Commission’s eFiling web site and submit the completed form as an attachment to an efiling submission. Information about eFiling is available on the Commission’s
eFiling web page.
must be filed electronically via the Commission
Electronic Filing (eFiling)
system. In order to submit the Form No. 556, you must first download the form-fillable pdf of Form No. 556 . Once you have completed the pdf, navigate with your browser to the Commission’s eFiling web site and submit the completed form as an attachment to an efiling submission. Information about eFiling is available on the Commission’s
eFiling web page.
3. Who can I contact if I have questions about QF-related policy or I am having trouble filling out the Form No. 556?
For all questions concerning filling out the Form No. 556 or QF-related policy, please email
form556@ferc.gov
or call S.L. Higginbottom at 202-502-8561 or Donna Stratton at 202-502-8396.
4. Who should I contact for assistance with eFiling?
If you have questions about or would like assistance using the Commission’s eFiling system, please contact the eFiling Help Desk at
efiling@ferc.gov
or 202-502-8258.
5. How do I file a request for a waiver of QF-related requirements?
18 C.F.R. § 292.204(a)(3) 
allows an applicant to request a waiver to modify the method of calculation pursuant to 18 C.F.R. § 292.204(a)(2) to determine if two facilities are considered to be located at the same site, for good cause. 18 C.F.R. § 292.205(c) allows an applicant to request waiver of the requirements of 18 C.F.R. §§ 292.205(a) and (b) for operating and efficiency upon a showing that the facility will produce significant energy savings.
18 C.F.R. § 292.203(d)(2) allows an applicant to request a waiver of the Form No. 556 filing requirements, for good cause. Applicants filing a petition for declaratory order requesting waiver under 18 C.F.R. § 292.203(d)(2) do not need to complete or submit a Form No. 556 with their petition.
A request for waiver of any of the requirements described above must be submitted as a petition for declaratory order, with the appropriate filing fee for a petition for declaratory order.
allows an applicant to request a waiver to modify the method of calculation pursuant to 18 C.F.R. § 292.204(a)(2) to determine if two facilities are considered to be located at the same site, for good cause. 18 C.F.R. § 292.205(c) allows an applicant to request waiver of the requirements of 18 C.F.R. §§ 292.205(a) and (b) for operating and efficiency upon a showing that the facility will produce significant energy savings.18 C.F.R. § 292.203(d)(2)
allows an applicant to request a waiver of the Form No. 556 filing requirements, for good cause. Applicants filing a petition for declaratory order requesting waiver under 18 C.F.R. § 292.203(d)(2) do not need to complete or submit a Form No. 556 with their petition.A request for waiver of any of the requirements described above must be submitted as a petition for declaratory order, with the appropriate filing fee for a petition for declaratory order.
6. Can I request that my facility be Commission-certified (or recertified) at the same time that I request a waiver of QF-related requirements?
Yes. Applicants requesting Commission recertification as part of a request for waiver of one of the requirements described in question 5 should electronically submit their completed Form No. 556 along with their petition for declaratory order, rather than filing their Form No. 556 as a separate request for Commission recertification. Only the filing fee for the petition for declaratory order must be paid to cover both the waiver request and the request for recertification if such requests are made simultaneously.
7. How do I determine if I am exempt (based on the small size of my facility) from the requirement to file a Form No. 556 for my QF?
18 C.F.R. 292.203 establishes the exemption, for generators with net power production capacities of 1 MW or less, from the requirement to file a Form No. 556 in order to obtain QF status. To determine if you are exempt from the requirement to file a Form No. 556 for your facility, based on the small size of your facility, download the Form No. 556 and complete section 7. If the value you obtain in line 7g is less than or equal to 1000 kW, then your facility is exempt from the Form No. 556 filing requirement.
establishes the exemption, for generators with net power production capacities of 1 MW or less, from the requirement to file a Form No. 556 in order to obtain QF status. To determine if you are exempt from the requirement to file a Form No. 556 for your facility, based on the small size of your facility, download the Form No. 556 and complete section 7. If the value you obtain in line 7g is less than or equal to 1000 kW, then your facility is exempt from the Form No. 556 filing requirement.
8. If a facility is 1 MW or less, can I still file a Form No. 556 either as a self-certification or for Commission certification?
Yes. Although facilities below 1 MW or less are exempt from the requirement to file, there is no prohibition against filing the Form No. 556 application either for self-certification or Commission certification for these facilities.
9. If a facility has filed for QF status in the past, but has a maximum net power production capacity of 1 MW or less, must it still file for self-recertifications or applications for Commission recertification going forward?
No. Facilities 1 MW or less are no longer required to file for QF status regardless of whether they filed in the past.
10. Is the 90-day notice to the local utility to which a facility connects required for a QF which has net capacity greater than 500 KW, even when the facility is exempted from filing a Form No. 556 by virtue of having net power production of 1 MW or less?
Yes. A QF with a net power production capacity of 500 kW or greater must still provide 90-day notification of its QF status to the local utility to which it connects, even if it is exempt from the Form No. 556 filing requirement. Such notification can be made by a simple written notice or, if the applicant has filed a Form No. 556, by sending the utility a copy of the completed form.
11. What information can an interconnecting utility require me to provide?
The utility may require that the QF provide additional technical information as necessary to determine the impact of the QF on the safety and reliability of the electric system. Such information may include principal components of the facility (electric generators, transformers, and switchyard equipment), fuel type, maximum gross and net output, expected installation and operation. A purchasing utility may also ask a QF that has not filed a Form No. 556 to provide the utility an attestation that the QF meets the requirements for QF status.
12. What level of change in ownership for a given entity necessitates filing a Form No. 556 for self- or Commission recertification?
For those facilities that are required to file a Form No. 556 to obtain QF status, recertification is required to report any change in material facts and representations previously made in previous certification(s). However, the Commission clarified in Order No. 732 that it will not consider a change in ownership to be a change in material facts and representations made in the previous filing if no owner increases their equity interest by at least 10 percent from the equity interest previously reported.
that it will not consider a change in ownership to be a change in material facts and representations made in the previous filing if no owner increases their equity interest by at least 10 percent from the equity interest previously reported.
13. If a direct or upstream ownership change affects dozens or hundreds of QFs, must a separate Form No. 556 be filed to recertify each and every affected QF?
18 CFR § 292.203(d)(2) establishes that the Commission may, for good cause, waive the requirements to file a Form No. 556 to obtain QF status. Applicants seeking such waiver must file a petition for declaratory order describing in detail the reasons waiver is being sought.
establishes that the Commission may, for good cause, waive the requirements to file a Form No. 556 to obtain QF status. Applicants seeking such waiver must file a petition for declaratory order describing in detail the reasons waiver is being sought.
14. Are applicants for QF certification or recertification required to provide a prepared notice for the Federal Register (FR)?
No. Applicants are no longer required to draft or submit a notice for the FR. Effective June 1, 2010 the Commission will continue to publish FR notices for certain types of applications (see 18 C.F.R. 292.207(c) ), however such notices will be automatically generated by the Commission’s eFiling system using information provided by applicants in their Form No. 556 filings.
), however such notices will be automatically generated by the Commission’s eFiling system using information provided by applicants in their Form No. 556 filings.