Relating to electric utility resource planning

This bill relates to electric utility resource planning for rate-regulated utilities. The bill requires a rate-regulated public utility seeking ratemaking principles to provide support of reasonability with an electric utility resource plan that has been updated within months of filing an application. The bill requires rate-regulated electric utilities to file a resource plan at least once every three years. _____ plan must consider all reasonable resources by the utility for meeting the probable future demand for energy, including supply resources and conservation and management of demand to meet the utility’s probable future demand over 5-year and 20-year horizons. For conservation and management of demand, the resource plan shall include programs approved in the electric utility’s most recently approved energy efficiency plan. The objectives of the resource plan include but are not limited to adequate, reasonable, and reliable energy service considering costs, fuel diversity, and probable future demand for energy, and should reflect the circumstances and management judgment of the electric utility. The resource plan shall not require specific outcomes or specific investment decisions, but the electric utility shall include proposed resource additions for each scenario studied. The bill directs the commission to issue an order within days of the resource plan acknowledging receipt of the plan. This order may provide recommendations to an electric utility regarding any additional analyses or actions that the electric utility must include in its next resource plan. The bill directs the commission to adopt rules regarding the timeline and stakeholder process to review and provide comments on the resource plan. The stakeholder process shall include the electric utility organizing and facilitating stakeholder conferences with representatives of the commission, the consumer advocate, the electric utility’s customers, and the state load forecasting center. The bill authorizes the electric utility to inform and consider input from the commission, the consumer advocate, stakeholders, and the state load forecasting center. The bill also allows the state load forecasting center to provide technical assistance to other stakeholders.