Section 69-09-12-03 - Resource plan attributes1. A resource plan must identify the resources needed to meet forecasted capacity and energy needs, including a reserve requirement, subject to various objectives, including reliability, planning, operational, and regulatory requirements. The resource plan must provide a North Dakota preferred plan.2. If an electric public utility's existing resources are inadequate to meet forecasted capacity and energy requirements, the utility shall identify in the resource plan the proposed actions to meet current and future electric capacity and energy needs, including generating facility additions of various types, sizes, fuel types, any known new transmission facilities, life extensions of existing generation facilities, load-modifying equipment, sponsored conservation programs, market purchases, power purchases from other utilities, and contracted capacity.3. All resources must be evaluated on a consistent and comparable basis, and the resource plan must describe, and select resources representing the least-cost plan for providing adequate, safe, and reliable service to ratepayers consistent with the public interest and North Dakota energy policy.4. The resource plan must have a planning horizon of at least fifteen years detailing both supply-side and demand-side resources.5. The resource plan must describe how the electric public utility intends to meet the forecasted capacity and energy needs within the next five years, along with construction and in-service timelines for generation and associated interconnection and network upgrade and new transmission facilities. The resource plan also must describe how the electric public utility intends to meet the forecasted energy and capacity needs for at least a fifteen-year planning horizon.6. Except as otherwise required by law or by order of the commission, the North Dakota preferred plan may not select resources based on a carbon cost, greenhouse gas reduction goals, renewable energy standards, emissions goal, or other externalities.7. The electric public utility may provide alternative scenarios with sensitivities based on proposed and current federal, state, and utility goals and mandates relating to carbon cost, emissions goal, or other externalities.8. The electric public utility shall describe how scenarios and sensitivities influenced the selection of the North Dakota preferred plan. The scenarios and sensitivities must be evaluated on a consistent and comparable basis, and the utility shall identify and assess the risks of each scenario and sensitivity.N.D. Admin Code 69-09-12-03
Adopted by Administrative Rules Supplement 2022-387, January 2023, effective 1/1/2023.General Authority: NDCC 49-02-04
Law Implemented: NDCC 49-05-04.4, 49-05-17