"Avoided costs" means the incremental costs to a utility of electric energy, capacity, or both that, but for the purchase from the qualifying facility or qualifying facilities, the utility would generate itself or purchase from another source.

"Back-up power" means electric energy or capacity supplied by a utility to replace energy ordinarily generated by a qualifying facility's own generation equipment during an unscheduled outage of the qualifying facility.

"Capacity" means the capability to produce or avoid the need to produce electric energy and ancillary electrical services, measured in kilowatts (kW) including, but not limited to, the criteria described in WAC 480-106-050 (5)(b).

"Commission" means the Washington utilities and transportation commission.

"Energy" means electric energy, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh) or megawatt-hours (MWh).

"Integrated resource plan" or "IRP" means the filing made every two years by a utility in accordance with WAC 480-100-238 Integrated resource planning.

"Interconnection costs" means the reasonable costs of connection, switching, metering, transmission, distribution, safety provisions, and administration incurred by the utility directly related to the installation and maintenance of the physical facilities necessary to permit interconnected operations with a qualifying facility that are in excess of the corresponding costs the utility would have incurred if it had not engaged in interconnected operations. Interconnection costs do not include any costs included in the calculation of avoided costs.

"Interruptible power" means electric energy or capacity supplied by a utility subject to interruption by the utility under specified conditions.

"Legally enforceable obligation" means the binding commitment of a qualifying facility to sell, and of a utility to purchase, the energy, capacity, or both provided by the qualifying facility over a specified term in accordance with these rules.

"Maintenance power" means electric energy or capacity supplied by a utility during scheduled outages of a qualifying facility.

"Qualifying facility" means a cogeneration facility or a small power production facility that is a qualifying facility under 18 C.F.R. Part 292 Subpart B.

"Request for proposals" or "RFPs" means the documents describing a utility's solicitation of bids for delivering electric capacity, energy, or both, or conservation that was issued consistent with chapter 480-107 WAC.

"Supplementary power" means electric energy or capacity supplied by a utility that a qualifying facility regularly uses in addition to the energy or capacity that the qualifying facility generates itself.

"System emergency" means a condition on a utility's system that is likely to result in an imminent, significant disruption of service to customers or is imminently likely to endanger life or property.

"Utility" means an electrical company as defined in RCW 80.04.010 that is subject to the commission's jurisdiction under RCW 80.01.040, 80.04.010, and chapter 80.28 RCW.