Section 170IAC4-7-4. Methodology and documentation requirements

   An IRP covering at least a twenty (20) year future period prepared by a utility must include a discussion of the methods, models, data, assumptions, and definitions used in developing the IRP and the goals and objectives of the plan. The following information must be included:

(1) The data sets, including data sources, used to establish base and alternative forecasts. A third party data source may be presented in the form of a reference. The reference must include the source title, author, publishing address, date, and page number of relevant data. The data sets must include an explanation for adjustments. The data must be provided on electronic media and hard copy, or as specified by the commission.

(2) A description of the utility's effort to develop and maintain, by customer class, rate class, SIC code, and end-use, a data base of electricity consumption patterns. The data base may be developed using, but not limited to, the following methods:

(A) Load research developed by the individual utility.

(B) Load research developed in conjunction with another utility.

(C) Load research developed by another utility and modified to meet the characteristics of that utility.

(D) Engineering estimates.

(E) Load data developed by a non-utility source.

(3) A proposed schedule for industrial, commercial, and residential customer surveys to obtain data on end-use appliance penetration, end-use saturation rates, and end-use electricity consumption patterns.

(4) A discussion of customer self-generation within the service territory and the potential effects on generation, transmission, and distribution planning and load forecasting.

(5) A description of model structure and an evaluation of model performance.

(6) A complete discussion of the alternative forecast scenarios developed and analyzed, including a justification of the assumptions and modeling variables used in each scenario.

(7) A description of the fuel inventory and procurement planning practices, including the rationale, used in the development of the utility's integrated resource plan.

(8) A description of the SO₂ emission allowance inventory and procurement planning practices, including the rationale, used in the development of the utility's integrated resource plan.

(9) A description of the generation expansion planning criteria used in developing the integrated resource plan. The description must fully explain the basis for the criteria selected, including an analysis and rationale for the level of system wide generation reliability assumed in the IRP.

(10) A regional, or at a minimum, Indiana specific power flow study prepared by a regional or subregional organization. This requirement may be met by submitting Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Form 715, as adopted in Docket No. RM93-10-00, in effect October 30, 1993. The power flow study shall include the following:

(A) Solved real flows.

(B) Solved reactive flows.

(C) Voltages.

(D) Detailed assumptions.

(E) Brief description of the model(s).

(F) Glossary of terms with cross references to the names of buses and line terminals.

(G) Sensitivity analysis, including, but not limited to, the forecast of the following:

(i) Summer and winter peak conditions.

(ii) Light load as well as heavy transfer conditions for one (1), two (2), five (5), and ten (10) years out.

(iii) Branch circuit ratings, including, but not limited to, normal, long term, short term, and emergency.

(11) Any recent dynamic stability study prepared for the utility or by the utility. This requirement may be met by submitting FERC Form 715, as adopted in Docket No. RM93-10-00, in effect October 30, 1993.

(12) Applicable transmission maps. This requirement may be met by submitting FERC Form 715, as adopted in Docket No. RM93-10-00, in effect October 30, 1993.

(13) A description of reliability criteria for transmission planning as well as the assessment practice used. This requirement may be met by submitting FERC Form 715, as adopted in Docket No. RM93-10-00, in effect October 30, 1993.

(14) An evaluation of the reliability criteria in relation to present performance and the expected performance of the utility's transmission system. This requirement may be met by submitting FERC Form 715, as adopted in Docket No. RM93-10-00, in effect October 30, 1993.

(15) A description of the utility's effort to develop and improve the methodology and the data for evaluating a resource (supply-side or demand-side) option's contribution to system wide reliability. The measure of system wide reliability must cover the reliability of the entire system, including transmission, distribution, and generation.

(16) An explanation, with supporting documentation, of the avoided cost calculation. An avoided cost must be calculated for each year in the forecast period. The avoided cost calculation must reflect timing factors specific to the resource under consideration such as project life and seasonal operation. Avoided cost shall include, but is not limited to, the following:

(A) The avoided generating capacity cost adjusted for transmission and distribution losses and the reserve margin requirement.

(B) The avoided transmission capacity cost.

(C) The avoided distribution capacity cost.

(D) The avoided operating cost, including fuel, plant operation and maintenance, spinning reserve, emission allowances, and transmission and distribution operation and maintenance.

(17) The hourly system lambda and the actual demand for all hours of the most recent historical year available. For purposes of comparison, a utility must maintain three (3) years of hourly data and the corresponding dispatch logs.

(18) A description of the utility's public participation procedure if the utility conducts a procedure prior to the submission of an IRP to the commission.

(Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission; 170 IAC 4-7-4; filed Aug 31, 1995, 9:00 a.m.: 19 IR 20; readopted filed Jul 11, 2001, 4:30 p.m.: 24 IR 4233; readopted filed Apr 24, 2007, 8:21 a.m.: 20070509-IR-170070147RFA; readopted filed Aug 2, 2013, 2:16 p.m.: 20130828-IR-170130227RFA)