The Ontario Power Authority conducted webinars July 8, 9 and 15 as a follow-up to the first application period under FIT 2, to address and discuss a number of difficulties the OPA found with small FIT applications. It lists the following as the most common errors:
• Missing supporting materials submission. Applications required both an online electronic submission and a follow-up hard copy package that included supporting materials. Some applicants only provided online applications.
• Wrong fees and securities provided (incorrect amounts, improper format, for example, cheques not certified).
• Wrong or inconsistent legal names. An applicant may have identified a certain legal name (‘Company X Inc’). Other supporting materials received would then either identify a legal name of some variation of the Company X name (‘Company X Inc LP’) or possibly an entirely different company name. Variations of a company name were not acceptable, as every different company name may be a separate legal entity .
• Missing originals. Photocopies of forms and supporting documents were submitted rather than required originals. Many of these forms required signatures, including those of a third-party engineer.
• FIT reference numbers were not included on documents.
• Missing required forms altogether.
• Incomplete forms.
• Inconsistent and inaccurate forms.
• Unacceptable locations. Some projects were attempting to locate on prime agricultural lands, or to build on or next to residential properties. [In one case at least, this was the result of the eligibility of a project originally submitted under FIT 1 rules becoming subject to different rules under FIT 2.]
• Lease, Option and Site Access Rights were not in the name of the applicant. Lease, Option and Site Access Rights conditions were in favour of the landlord.
The OPA will be reviewing the FIT Rules and application process in advance of the upcoming Fall 2013 Small FIT application period, taking into consideration the feedback received by the close of the invitation period, July 31.