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Web site of the month: Online IRP compliance trainingThe integrated resource plans (IRPs) Western customers develop to meet their consumers' electricity needs are as diverse as, well, our customers. On the other hand, the rules about the kind of information IRPs must contain, who must approve them and when to submit them are very specific—and a little overwhelming. A step-by-step training program walking utility staff through the IRP submission process might make life easier, so Energy Services created one. Better yet, we put it online where our customers can go through it at their leisure and reference it whenever they need. For submitting report, not planningThe training will help to clarify IRP requirements for customers, explained said Energy Services Manager Ron Horstman. "The course is designed to answer questions that even experienced planners may have about how to submit an IRP," he said. "Customers can also use it to train new employees who will be involved in the process." Energy Services representatives—present and future—will find the online training a useful resource, as well. "We will use it inside Western to make sure that everyone who evaluates an IRP is applying the same standards," Horstman added. "That's why we call it 'train-the-trainer'." One thing the course does not do is tell customers how to conduct resource planning, Horstman points out. "It is up to our customers to look at all of their options and make the best decisions for their unique circumstances," he said. "Once they have done that, the online training helps them to answer all the questions Western has about their planning process. It also tells them when their IRPs and annual reports are due, and what to expect if they don't meet the requirements." Full training or quick referenceThe online training has nine sections covering the different aspects of submitting an IRP or annual report:
Users who are new to resource planning can start with the overview for a concise explanation of the IRP, why the process is valuable to utilities, a brief description of Federal requirements and links to alternative plans. A History link at the bottom of the page provides more details about the background and evolution of the planning requirements for those who are interested. Customers who have done IRPs before may use the program to look up specific requirements. In each chapter, the requirements are linked to corresponding regulations in the Energy Planning and Management Program (10 CFR 905). Checklist items are followed by the regulation's section number for the user's convenience. The report checklists are now available in two forms—as Web pages and in a downloadable pdf version at the bottom of the checklist page. Customer input neededProperly done, integrated resource planning is more than a Federal requirement—it is a guide to sound, long-term decision-making. Online IRP compliance training is the latest tool to help our customers get the most out of this process. Energy Services plans to introduce more Web-based IRP resources later this year, but we need our customers' help. Let us know if the compliance training program helps when you are preparing your next IRP. Tell us if a point is unclear or if you couldn't find the answer to your question. Even if you don't have an IRP or annual report due right away, you can still test the pages and share your ideas for making the program more user-friendly. In the end, all Web sites are an interactive work in progress, and this is your chance to shape a new Energy Services tool. Contact the Energy Services Web master with your suggestions. And, as always, your Energy Services representative is available to answer your questions, because no Web site can take the place of good old-fashioned, one-on-one customer service.
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