Sample run
A mock hybrid solar + BESS interconnection request, run through the Cliff validator in 67 seconds. 11 predicted deficiencies, each tied to a specific PJM manual or tariff section.
What was submitted
Mock Bluefield draft
A synthetic hybrid solar + BESS interconnection request, deliberately built with the kinds of gaps and inconsistencies PJM reviewers see in real first-pass filings.
Machine / inverter parameters
Inverter model: generic 2.0 MVA. 100 x inverters. Fault contribution: 1.2 pu.
Reactive capability
+/- 0.95 PF at inverter terminals, 40 MVAR lag / 40 MVAR lead.
Ride-through
Ride-through compliant.
One-line description
Generator -> GSU 34.5/138 kV -> POI breaker -> AEP Bluefield substation. Revenue metering at GSU low side.
Additional notes
BESS co-located, 50 MW / 200 MWh. Charging from solar only during daylight hours.
Live result
Readiness
34 / 100
First-pass pass
unlikely
This Bluefield Solar + BESS 1 hybrid-IBR submission has multiple critical and major deficiencies that will almost certainly trigger a PJM deficiency letter on first pass. Core problems include missing station service, a Net MW figure that exceeds Gross MW, absent collector system impedance, no EMT model, incomplete POI circuit identification, and a reactive capability curve reported at the inverter terminals rather than the POI. The submission is not ready to file and requires substantial rework before submission to the AG2 window.
4
Critical
5
Major
0
Minor
2
Warning
Directional model. Not legal or engineering advice. The full deficiency report below cites PJM tariff and manual sections for every finding.
Try it with your own draft
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The summary
This Bluefield Solar + BESS 1 hybrid-IBR submission has multiple critical and major deficiencies that will almost certainly trigger a PJM deficiency letter on first pass. Core problems include missing station service, a Net MW figure that exceeds Gross MW, absent collector system impedance, no EMT model, incomplete POI circuit identification, and a reactive capability curve reported at the inverter terminals rather than the POI. The submission is not ready to file and requires substantial rework before submission to the AG2 window.
Missing required data
Next actions
Predicted deficiencies
Each finding names the rule PJM is likely to cite, the specific reviewer concern, and a concrete fix. Auto-patches are offered where the correction is mechanical.
netMw / stationServiceMw
Station service load is blank and Net MW (200 MW) is reported equal to Gross MW (200 MW), violating the requirement to subtract auxiliary load from gross output.
PJM reviewers will immediately notice that Net MW equals Gross MW with no station service deduction, and the station service field is empty. This is listed as the most common deficiency under Rule PJM-OATT-ATT-N-STATION-SERVICE and will result in an outright rejection of the facility data section.
Recommended fix
Determine the actual auxiliary/station service load (MW) for both the solar plant and the BESS HVAC/controls, populate the stationServiceMw field, and recalculate Net MW as Gross MW minus Station Service.
Rule PJM-OATT-ATT-N-STATION-SERVICE: OATT Attachment N Appendix 2 ('Station Service' field). Station service load must be specified in MW and reflected in the Net MW to grid calculation.
mfoMw / grossMw / stationServiceMw
MFO (180 MW) cannot be verified for consistency with Gross MW minus Station Service because Station Service is blank; additionally, Net MW (200 MW) is reported as equal to Gross MW and greater than MFO, which is internally contradictory.
Rule PJM-14A-6.2-MFO requires MFO to equal Gross MW minus Station Service (within 1 MW). With Net MW > MFO and Station Service missing, the three fields are mutually inconsistent, which PJM reviewers will flag as a fatal data integrity failure.
Recommended fix
After resolving station service, confirm MFO = Gross MW minus Station Service. Ensure Net MW is set to the same value as MFO or clearly explained. Correct Net MW to not exceed Gross MW.
Rule PJM-14A-6.2-MFO: PJM Manual 14A §6.2; OATT Attachment N Appendix 2 ('Maximum Facility Output'). MFO must be consistent with Gross MW minus station service, delta > 1 MW without explanation is a deficiency.
machineParams / EMT model
No PSCAD-compatible EMT model has been submitted; only a generic inverter description is provided, which does not satisfy the IBR modeling requirement.
For hybrid-IBR resources, Rule PJM-14H-4.3-MACHINE-IBR requires a PSCAD-compatible EMT model as a mandatory deliverable. A plain-text description of 'generic 2.0 MVA inverters' is not an EMT model file and will be flagged as a fatal omission under PJM's IBR Modeling Guidelines (rev. 2024).
Recommended fix
Engage the inverter OEM(s) to obtain validated PSCAD EMT model files and a PSS/E-compatible positive-sequence RMS model for both the solar inverters and the BESS PCS units, and attach them to the submission package.
Rule PJM-14H-4.3-MACHINE-IBR: PJM Manual 14H §4.3; FERC Order 901; IEEE 2800-2022 alignment; PJM IBR Modeling Guidelines (rev. 2024). IBR resources must submit a PSCAD-compatible EMT model plus an RMS (positive-sequence) model.
collectorImpedance
Collector system equivalent impedance is blank; no R+jX value referred to the GSU high side has been submitted.
Rule PJM-14H-4.3.4 (Rule PJM-14H-4.2-COLLECTOR) mandates that IBR plants provide the aggregated equivalent collector impedance referred to the GSU high side. A blank field is a straightforward deficiency that will be flagged in every IBR review.
Recommended fix
Perform a collector system impedance aggregation study for all solar feeder strings and pad-mount transformers, and populate the collectorImpedance field with the Thevenin equivalent R+jX (in per-unit on a common MVA base or in ohms referred to the 34.5 kV or 138 kV bus, clearly labeled).
Rule PJM-7-COLLECTOR (Rule PJM-14A-6.5-COLLECTOR): PJM Manual 14H §4.3.4. IBR plants must submit the equivalent collector system impedance (R+jX) referred to the high-side of the GSU, accounting for all feeders and pad-mount transformers.
poiCircuit
The POI circuit/line/bus section field is blank; only the substation name and voltage are provided.
Rule PJM-14A-6.3-POI explicitly requires the specific line, circuit, or bus section at the POI in addition to the substation name. A blank circuit field is the most commonly cited POI deficiency and will result in a deficiency letter.
Recommended fix
Identify the specific 138 kV bus section, breaker bay, or line circuit designation at AEP Bluefield 138 kV substation (e.g., 'Bluefield 138 kV Bus Section 1, Circuit BLFD-138-A') and populate the poiCircuit field.
Rule PJM-14A-6.3-POI: PJM Manual 14A §6.3; OATT Attachment N Appendix 2 (Point of Interconnection). POI must specify (a) transmission owner, (b) substation name, (c) specific line/circuit or bus section, and (d) voltage class in kV.
reactiveCapability
Reactive capability is reported at the inverter terminals (+/- 0.95 PF, 40 MVAR lag/lead), not at the Point of Interconnection (138 kV bus) as required.
Rule PJM-14H-4.3-MACHINE-IBR explicitly identifies 'reactive capability reported at inverter terminals instead of at POI' as a common deficiency. The reactive capability curve must account for transformer and collector losses, and be expressed at the 138 kV POI.
Recommended fix
Recalculate the reactive capability curve at the 138 kV POI accounting for the 34.5/138 kV GSU transformer impedance and collector losses. Submit a P-Q capability curve (in MVAR vs. MW) referenced to the 138 kV bus.
Rule PJM-14H-4.3-MACHINE-IBR: PJM Manual 14H §4.3; PJM IBR Modeling Guidelines (rev. 2024). Reactive capability curve must be submitted at the POI.
rideThrough
Ride-through settings are described only as 'compliant' with no specific voltage and frequency trip/hold settings provided.
Rule PJM-14H-4.3-MACHINE-IBR requires voltage and frequency ride-through settings to be explicitly stated and verified as compatible with IEEE 2800-2022. A blanket compliance statement without numerical settings does not meet the submission standard and will be returned for clarification.
Recommended fix
Provide explicit voltage ride-through (LVRT/HVRT) and frequency ride-through (LFRT/HFRT) trip thresholds and time delays in a tabular format consistent with IEEE 2800-2022 Table 1 and Table 2, for both solar and BESS units.
Rule PJM-14H-4.3-MACHINE-IBR: PJM Manual 14H §4.3; IEEE 2800-2022 alignment; PJM IBR Modeling Guidelines (rev. 2024). Voltage and frequency ride-through settings must be submitted.
oneLineDescription / revenue metering
Revenue metering is located at the GSU low side (34.5 kV), but PJM typically requires revenue metering at or electrically equivalent to the POI on the transmission-owner side; additionally, the one-line description does not reference protection relay types (21, 25, 27, 59, 67, 81, 50/51) or isolation disconnects.
Rule PJM-14A-6.4-ONELINE requires the one-line to show revenue metering location, a full protection device list, and isolation disconnects. Metering at the GSU low side may not satisfy PJM's revenue-quality metering requirements at the POI, and the missing protection relay list will be flagged.
Recommended fix
Revise the one-line diagram (and submit an actual diagram, not just a text description) to: (1) relocate or justify revenue metering placement relative to the 138 kV POI; (2) explicitly list all protection relay functions (21, 25, 27, 59, 67, 81, 50/51); and (3) show isolation disconnects between the generator and the AEP 138 kV bus.
Rule PJM-14A-6.4-ONELINE: PJM Manual 14A §6.4; PJM Interconnection Application Exhibit Checklist. One-line must show revenue metering point, protection (21, 25, 27, 59, 67, 81, 50/51), and isolation disconnects.
fuelType / technologyType (BESS component)
The submission lists fuelType as 'solar' for a hybrid solar + BESS resource; the BESS component has no separate fuel/technology designation, and its capacity (50 MW) is not broken out in the MFO or CIR fields.
Rule PJM-14A-6.6-FUEL-TECH requires fuel type and technology class to be internally consistent for each resource component. A hybrid resource with a BESS component must clearly identify the storage technology and its contribution to MFO and CIR separately; listing only 'solar' as the fuel type for a combined 200 MW gross facility that includes 50 MW of BESS creates a technology-class inconsistency.
Recommended fix
Disaggregate the submission to separately identify: (1) solar PV component — fuel: solar, technology: IBR, gross MW: 200 MW; (2) BESS component — fuel: electric storage, technology: storage-IBR, MW: 50 MW / 200 MWh. Confirm whether the 200 MW gross MW is solar-only or includes BESS discharge, and reconcile with MFO and CIR.
Rule PJM-14A-6.6-FUEL-TECH: OATT Attachment N Appendix 2 ('Fuel Type' and 'Technology Type' fields). Fuel type and technology class must be internally consistent.
cirMw
CIR is set equal to MFO (180 MW) without any acknowledgement of the deliverability study requirement that this triggers.
Rule PJM-14A-6.2-CIR notes that CIR labeled equal to MFO without acknowledgement of the deliverability study requirement is a common deficiency. PJM will ask whether the developer intends full capacity deliverability testing, and the absence of an explicit election statement may generate a follow-up inquiry.
Recommended fix
Add an explicit statement confirming that the developer elects full Capacity Interconnection Rights equal to MFO (180 MW) and acknowledges that this triggers a deliverability study under OATT Attachment N §3.0. Alternatively, if ERS-only is intended, label the request accordingly.
Rule PJM-14A-6.2-CIR: OATT Attachment N §3.0 (CIR vs ERS election). CIR value missing or labeled equal to MFO without acknowledgement of deliverability study requirement.
requestedInServiceDate
The requested in-service date of 2028-06-01 under the AG2 (2026 cycle) queue window may be earlier than the feasible Part 3 completion date for that cluster, which typically targets late 2028 or 2029 for construction milestones.
Rule PJM-14A-3.2-IN-SERVICE requires the in-service date to be consistent with the cluster study schedule and Part 2/3 milestones. If the AG2 cycle Part 3 study completion extends into late 2027 or 2028, a June 2028 commercial operation date leaves insufficient time for facility construction and commissioning and may be flagged as unrealistic.
Recommended fix
Confirm the AG2 cycle's published Part 3 milestone completion target and ensure the requested in-service date allows adequate construction time. If 2028-06-01 is not feasible, revise to a realistic date (likely Q4 2029 or later) before submission.
Rule PJM-14A-3.2-IN-SERVICE: PJM Manual 14A §3.2 (Cycle schedule and Part 2 milestones). Requested in-service date must be consistent with the applicable cluster study schedule and Part 2 milestones.
Run it yourself
Paste your PJM submission data and see every item that will come back in the deficiency letter, before you file.