Grid connection permit process

● Electricity Act
● Environmental Code
● Electricity Ordinance

In order to connect a new RES installation to high voltage power lines, a grid connection permit (concession) is necessary. The concession is required when a new power line has to be built in order to connect the electricity generating installation to the transmission network. The permit is granted by the Swedish Energy Markets inspectorate. The application has to contain information on the transmission capacity, the necessary voltage, compliance of the Environmental Code, and alternative transmission routes. There are two types of concessions: a permit for an individual transmission line or for the whole geographical area. The procedure is rather similar for the two types, but slightly different documents and consultations are required for each (arts 5 and 7, Electricity Ordinance).
The Swedish Energy Markets Inspectorate will assess the application and usually ask for additional information before sending it to referral authorities for consultation. When consultation is completed, the Swedish Energy Markets Inspectorate examines if, based on the comments from the referral authorities, any additional information is needed. The project developer may then react to the comments of involved authorities and submit supplementary information before the final assessment by the Swedish Energy Markets Inspectorate is taken.
The decision regarding a grid connection application is made by the Swedish Energy Markets Inspectorate within three years of the receipt of a complete application by the Inspectorate (Chapter 2 Art 1 Electricity Act). If the matter is to be decided by the Government, a decision shall be made within five years from the receipt of complete application by the grid authority (Art 10 Ordinance on Electricity). In practice, the process is often delayed.
It is not necessary to obtain a grid connection (concession) permit if the RES installation is so small it requires no high voltage lines constructed. Therefore, small RES installations that can be connected to the distribution grid, such as small PV installations or wind turbines, are exempted from the concession procedure. They have to, however, comply with the standards and requirements of the DSO.

Swedish Energy Markets Inspectorate