Key issues in electric utility integrated resource planning: Findings from a nationwide study.

摘要

Resource planning of various types has been performed by electric utilities for many years. Recently, however, many utilities, often with the encouragement of their state Public Utility Commission, have begun preparing least-cost plans. These documents differ from earlier resource plans in a number of ways, but perhaps most notable is their increased attention to demand-side (conservation and load management) programs. This report presents findings from a study performed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in which the least-cost plans and planning processes of 29 utilities and five non-utility government agencies (four state and one federal) throughout the United States were examined. The purpose of this study was to gather representative data on the current practice of least-cost planning and to make this information available to utilities, regulators, and other parties interested in this rapidly growing field. 69 refs., 9 figs., 14 tabs.