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IRP reporting process streamlined,
options added

Last year, Western updated the Integrated Resource Planning requirements outlined in Section 114 of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 during a five-year program review. Customers now have several additional options to meet or streamline these requirements, noted Ron Horstman, Energy Services program contact at Western's Corporate Services Office.

"The updated requirements reflect changes in the utility industry and customers' varying size and structure," he added. "These changes also streamlined the reporting requirements without sacrificing the Act's intent."

"Customers are still required to submit annual progress reports and new integrated resource plans every five years, but they may now submit them individually or cooperatively when they belong to member-based associations," explained Rocky Mountain Region Energy Services Manager Peggy Plate.

The new IRP regulations allow customers to set action plan timelines (instead of a five-year minimum) to better correspond with their own situations. "The regulations no longer require customers to provide a complete load forecast, only a brief summary verifying that one was conducted," she said. "Customers no longer must provide methods of validating predicted performance to determine whether IRP objectives were being met. Instead, a brief description of measurement strategies for the options identified in the IRP is adequate."

"Western also changed IRP alternatives," added Bob Parkins, Energy Services manager for Western's Sierra Nevada Region. Members of MBAs and joint action agencies may now file a Small Customer Plan if their sales/use is under 25 GWh per year.

"Another alternative to a formal IRP is the Minimum Investment Report. Customers under state, tribal, or Federal requirements to make a mandated minimum financial/resource investment in demand-side management or renewable energy programs may file an initial Minimum Investment Report and an annual letter," said Desert Southwest Energy Services Manager Steve Szarka.

"The Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy Report is yet another way certain customers can report their energy savings under Western's IRP requirements," said Greg Vaselaar, an Upper Great Plains Region customer services representative in Western's Huron, S.D., office. "This option allows state, tribal, or Federal end-use customers under state, Tribal, or Federal mandate to conduct energy efficiency or renewable energy programs to provide an initial report and an annual report on these activities to comply with Western's requirements," he explained.

"For the FY 2001 reporting year, all our firm power customers provided data under one of these options," Horstman said. Western received 107 IRP progress reports from individual customers, 25 Integrated Resource Plans from cooperatives, 21 Minimum Investment Reports, and 101 small customer plans. These plans represent 624 long-term firm power customers and customer members.

Customer-reported trends include:

• Re-emergence of demand-side management activities/programs.
• More support for renewable programs.
• More support for public power.

The most frequent demand-side-management activities cited by Western’s customers are:

• Energy/load management systems.
• Energy efficient construction.
• Commercial/industrial/residential audits.
• Pump efficiency measures.
• Lighting retrofits/upgrades.

The top five reported renewable energy activities are:

• Wind.
• Large and small scale hydro.
• Solar PV.
• Fuel cells.
• Geothermal.

Several trends are surfacing in the renewable energy arena. Deregulation-related events from around the country have renewed interest in energy issues. For example, public opinion of and interest in energy issues is more favorable, new resources are being researched and developed, and renewable energy technologies are becoming more affordable.

FY 2001 Customer IRP Accomplishments
	CRSP	DSW	RM	SN	UGP
DSM kW savings	16,339	112,063	62,867	54,054	655,815
DSM kWh savings	89,494,945	131,571,620	62,334,322	161,419,000	2,087,589,236
DSM expenditures	$1,334,884	$9,154,465	$7,741,976	$46,425,000	$20,671,388
DSM deviations	-$742,422	+$7,793,986	+$6,111,244	+$247,000	+$7,003,316
kW renewables	301,696,729	2,684,638,638	195,068,246	4,747,440,000	534,045,833
Renewable expenditures	$10,102,263	$20,340,429	$4,342,227	$92,151,000	$280,028
Renewable program types	Hydro Solar-PV Wind Geothermal	Hydro Solar-PV Solar-thermal Geothermal	Hydro Solar-PV Wind Fuel cell	Hydro Solar-PV Wind Geothermal	Hydro Solar-PV Wind Geothermal

Overview of IRP Guidelines Revision and approval critieria: www.wapa.gov/es/pdf/IRPbro.pdf IRP annual progress reporting: www.wapa.gov/es/prgrssrpt.htm IRP review and assistance: www.wapa.gov/es/irp/rqsthelp.htm Small customer plan checklist: www.wapa.gov/es/irp/smcs.htm