At the April 25, 2019 CPUC Business Meeting, the CPUC unanimously adopted a decision completing the 2017-18 Integrated Resource Plan ("IRP") cycle. The decision adopts a “preferred system plan” that was developed based on the CPUC’s own modeling. The CPUC took issue with the “conforming plans” submitted by Load Serving Entities ("LSEs") and adopted its own plan because collectively the LSE plans did not meet the GHG targets and did not meet the Commission's standards for reliability. The “preferred plan” adopted by the CPUC finds that in order to meet the GHG targets, the CPUC jurisdictional LSEs will need to procure approximately 12,000 MW of additional renewable resources by 2030.
In particular, the final decision makes clear that the procurement track will be focused on backstop procurement when an LSE’s IRP does not meet the GHG targets. The procurement track will also focus on collective procurement that may be needed to facilitate bulk resources with longer lead times. At the meeting, the Commissioners stated that the procurement track will be completed before the end of the year. Another major aspect of the IRP decision is that it conveys a common policy and reliability base case to the CAISO for use in the 2019-20 Transmission Planning Process based on the adopted system plan. The CPUC also conveyed two high renewables policy sensitivities for the CAISO to study in the 2019-20 TPP. Planning for the next IRP cycle (2019-20) is already underway.
Link to the proposed decision that was adopted: http://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M284/K786/284786020.PDF
Contact: Brian S. Biering
