As a means to promote stable, efficient and economical use of electrical generation and conservation resources, the Energy Policy Act of 1992 requires Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) long-term firm power customers to prepare and submit integrated resource plans (IRP). Developed with considerable public involvement, IRPs evaluate utilities’ full range of alternatives to provide adequate, reliable and least-cost service to consumers while addressing risks and uncertainties.
“The IRP is an action plan that describes how a utility intends to serve its load in the future,” said Heartland Resource Manager Adam Graff. “It identifies and evaluates past, present and future resources, energy planning and management programs, and load forecasts, taking into account regulations, projections, assumptions and other factors inherent to the electric utility industry. Essentially, WAPA wants to ensure that utilities are adequately planning for the future.”
WAPA’s Energy Planning and Management Program sets forth a framework to develop and submit IRPs every five years, along with annual updates and reports. WAPA also created a small customer plan (SCP) alternative for utilities with under 25 GWh of annual sales/use.
As a service to its customers, Heartland created a cooperative to facilitate the submittal of IRPs, SCPs and annual reports to WAPA. Heartland has provided this service since 1997 to ensure our customers will be able to retain their federal hydropower allocations.
“On behalf of our customers, Heartland performs all the necessary work for the data collection and completion of our customers’ IRP reports,” said Graff. “We do request customer assistance in review and approval of the customers’ final plans.”
The deadline to submit new five-year IRPs and SCPs is June 15, 2014. Twenty-two Heartland customers are currently required to submit reports, and Heartland has sent a letter to these customers detailing the process and timeline. Individuals with questions on IRPs, SCPs or the planning process may contact Graff at 605-256-6536 or agraff@hcpd.com.
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