42 U.S.C. § 7276b: Integrated resource plans

Summary

The Western Area Power Administration must change its rules within 1 year after October 24, 1992 so that each customer sends in an integrated resource plan within 12 months after the rules are changed. Plans must be updated every 5 years. The Administrator will set a review schedule so all first plans are reviewed within 24 months after the rules change. Each plan, revision, or any amendment must be checked within 120 days after it is received to see if it meets the requirements in sections 7275 to 7276c. Plans must compare practical energy efficiency and supply choices, include 2-year and 5-year action steps, name the least-cost options and why, try to reduce environmental harm, allow full public input including governing boards, include load forecasts, show how results will be checked, and meet any other rules the Administrator requires. Customers already using other federal or state planning programs can use those plans if they mostly match these rules. Customers must also follow their approved plans and send an annual report on progress. The Administrator will spot-check plans and their implementation. If a customer has no approved plan within 12 months after the rules change or fails to resubmit a disapproved plan within 9 months, the Administrator will add a 10 percent surcharge to all power bought from the Western Area Power Administration. That surcharge rises to 20 percent in the second year and 30 percent after that until an approved plan is in place or the power contract ends. If a customer breaks an approved plan, the same 10/20/30 percent surcharge applies unless the customer shows a good faith effort to comply. Instead of a surcharge, the Administrator may cut the customer’s power allocation by 10 percent. Customers in a state or region may form planning cooperatives with approval and get 6 more months to file an initial plan. Only one plan is needed per customer even with multiple contracts. The program must be reviewed starting within 1 year after January 1, 1999 and updated as needed.

Title 42, §7276b

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(a)Review by Western Area Power Administration

Within 1 year after October 24, 1992, the Administrator shall, by regulation, revise the Final Amended Guidelines and Acceptance Criteria for Customer Conservation and Renewable Energy Programs published in the Federal Register on August 21, 1985 (50 F.R. 33892), or any subsequent amendments thereto, to require each customer to submit an integrated resource plan to the Administrator within 12 months after such regulations are amended. The regulation shall require a revision of such plan to be submitted every 5 years after the initial submission. The Administrator shall review the initial plan in accordance with a schedule established by the Administrator (which schedule will provide for the review of all initial plans within 24 months after such regulations are amended), and each revision thereof within 120 days after his receipt of the plan or revision and determine whether the customer has in the development of the plan or revision, complied with sections 7275 to 7276c of this title. Plan amendments may be submitted to the Administrator at any time and the Administrator shall review each such amendment within 120 days after receipt thereof to determine whether the customer in amending its plan has complied with sections 7275 to 7276c of this title. If the Administrator determines that the customer, in developing its plan, revision, or amendment, has not complied with the requirements of sections 7275 to 7276c of this title, the customer shall resubmit the plan at any time thereafter. Whenever a plan or revision or amendment is resubmitted the Administrator shall review the plan or revision or amendment within 120 days after his receipt thereof to determine whether the customer has complied with sections 7275 to 7276c of this title.

(b)Criteria for approval of integrated resource plans

The Administrator shall approve an integrated resource plan submitted as required under subsection (a) if, in developing the plan, the customer has:

(1)Identified and accurately compared all practicable energy efficiency and energy supply resource options available to the customer.

(2)Included a 2-year action plan and a 5-year action plan which describe specific actions the customer will take to implement its integrated resource plan.

(3)Designated “least-cost options” to be utilized by the customer for the purpose of providing reliable electric service to its retail consumers and explained the reasons why such options were selected.

(4)To the extent practicable, minimized adverse environmental effects of new resource acquisitions.

(5)In preparation and development of the plan (and each revision or amendment of the plan) has provided for full public participation, including participation by governing boards.

(6)Included load forecasting.

(7)Provided methods of validating predicted performance in order to determine whether objectives in the plan are being met.

(8)Met such other criteria as the Administrator shall require.

(c)Use of other integrated resource plans

Where a customer or group of customers are implementing integrated resource planning under a program responding to Federal, State, or other initiatives, including integrated resource planning considered and implemented pursuant to section 2621(d) of title 16, in evaluating that customer’s integrated resource plan under sections 7275 to 7276c of this title, the Administrator shall accept such plan as fulfillment of the requirements of sections 7275 to 7276c of this title to the extent such plan substantially complies with the requirements of sections 7275 to 7276c of this title.

(d)Compliance with integrated resource plans

Within 1 year after October 24, 1992, the Administrator shall, by regulation, revise the Final Amended Guidelines and Acceptance Criteria for Customer Conservation and Renewable Energy Programs published in the Federal Register on August 21, 1985 (50 F.R. 33892), or any subsequent amendments thereto, to require each customer to fully comply with the applicable integrated resource plan and submit an annual report to the Administrator (in such form and containing such information as the Administrator may require) describing the customer’s progress to the goals established in such plan. After the initial review under subsection (a) the Administrator shall periodically conduct reviews of a representative sample of applicable integrated resource plans and the customer’s implementation of the applicable integrated resource plan to determine if the customers are in compliance with their plans. If the Administrator finds a customer out-of-compliance, the Administrator shall impose a surcharge under this section on all electric energy purchased by the customer from the Western Area Power Administration or reduce such customer’s power allocation by 10 percent, unless the Administrator finds that a good faith effort has been made to comply with the approved plan.

(e)Enforcement

(1)No approved plan

If an integrated resource plan for any customer is not submitted before the date 12 months after the guidelines are amended as required under this section or if the plan is disapproved by the Administrator and a revised plan is not resubmitted by the date 9 months after the date of such disapproval, the Administrator shall impose a surcharge of 10 percent of the purchase price on all power obtained by that customer from the Western Area Power Administration after such date. The surcharge shall remain in effect until an integrated resource plan is approved for that customer. If the plan is not submitted for more than one year after the required date, the surcharge shall increase to 20 percent for the second year (or any portion thereof prior to approval of the plan) and to 30 percent thereafter until the plan is submitted or the contract for the purchase of power by such customer from the Western Area Power Administration terminates.

(2)Failure to comply with approved plan

After approval by the Administrator of an applicable integrated resource plan for any customer, the Administrator shall impose a 10 percent surcharge on all power purchased by such customer from the Western Area Power Administration whenever the Administrator determines that such customer’s activities are not consistent with the applicable integrated resource plan. The surcharge shall remain in effect until the Administrator determines that the customer’s activities are consistent with the applicable integrated resource plan. The surcharge shall be increased to 20 percent if the customer’s activities are out of compliance for more than one year and to 30 percent after more than 2 years, except that no surcharge shall be imposed if the customer demonstrates, to the satisfaction of the Administrator, that a good faith effort has been made to comply with the approved plan.

(3)Reduction in power allocation

In the case of any customer subject to a surcharge under paragraph (1) or (2), in lieu of imposing such surcharge the Administrator may reduce such customer’s power allocation from the Western Area Power Administration by 10 percent. The Administrator shall provide by regulation the terms and conditions under which a power allocation terminated under this subsection may be reinstated.

(f)Integrated resource planning cooperatives

With the approval of the Administrator, customers within any State or region may form integrated resource planning cooperatives for the purposes of complying with sections 7275 to 7276c of this title, and such customers shall be allowed an additional 6 months to submit an initial integrated resource plan to the Administrator.

(g)Customers with more than 1 contract

If more than one long-term firm power service contract exists between the Administrator and a customer, only one integrated resource plan shall be required for that customer under sections 7275 to 7276c of this title.

(h)Program review

Within 1 year after January 1, 1999, and at appropriate intervals thereafter, the Administrator shall initiate a public process to review the program established by this section. The Administrator is authorized at that time to revise the criteria set forth in subsection (b) to reflect changes, if any, in technology, needs, or other developments.

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was enacted as part of the Hoover Power Plant Act of 1984, and not as part of the Department of Energy Organization Act which comprises this chapter.

§7276b Integrated Resource Plans

Summary

Title 42, §7276b

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Citations & Metadata