4 Colo. Code Regs. § 723-3-3532
Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 11, June 10, 2024
Section 4 CCR 723-3-3532 - Grid Needs Assessment(a) The utility shall provide a summary analysis of the energy, capacity, ancillary services, and reliability needs and constraints on a utility's distribution system and solutions to those needs.(b) The grid needs assessment shall include an analysis regarding the suitability of non-wires alternatives to mitigate identified needs and recommendations for the deployment of utility infrastructure upgrade solutions versus the procurement of non-wires alternative solutions to address any identified needs.(c) The grid needs assessment shall address existing and forecasted needs over a ten-year planning period that could result in a major distribution grid project.(d) The grid needs assessment shall include each of the following parts.(I) An assessment of critical needs.(A) The utility shall provide an assessment of critical capacity and reliability needs that must be addressed within the ten-year planning horizon.(B) The assessment shall include a review of all planned, proposed and potential major distribution grid projects which will be required to address constraints related to substation transformers and feeders that are forecasted to have insufficient capacity to adequately serve peak load or reliability needs over the next ten years.(C) The assessment shall be divided into two parts - one detailing short-term needs within zero to three years, and one detailing longer-term needs in four to ten years.(D) The data used for the assessment shall be provided in megawatt values in tables, in a logical spreadsheet form (both printed and functional Excel spreadsheet formats) and graphically as a map in executable ARC GIS or similar format.(E) The assessment of critical needs will be provided via the web portal, described in rule 3541. Any notable updates to the web portal should also be made in this section of the DSP.(F) The assessment shall include a review of the capability of the distribution system and any needs incurred to interconnect approved CSG capacity in the utility's current SGIP queue. The assessment shall include an estimate of the potential benefits and costs of infrastructure upgrades. The assessment shall also include a good faith effort by the utility to assess any needs to interconnect capacity approved in its most recent RES Plan but not yet acquired, and a reasonable expectation of future CSG capacity during the DSP planning period for targeted development areas. The utility will work with stakeholders to assess the level of interest for targeted development at specific locations for future CSG capacity and the corresponding potential benefits and costs of infrastructure upgrade needs at those specific locations.(II) The utility's current distribution plan for distribution grid investments, as well as the total capital budget including the past three years and the next five years of projected budget. Budgets shall be broken down by relevant budget categories.(III) Fast charging locations for electric vehicles. The utility shall use the results of the grid needs assessment to identify locations where substation transformers and feeders have sufficient capacity for hosting multiple direct current fast chargers for electric vehicles. Utilities will also assess vehicle-to-grid (V2G) opportunities as potential NWA projects.(IV) An identification of any long-term needs identified in the grid needs assessment for which ratable procurement may avoid or defer the anticipated need driven by steady load growth, including geographically targeted deployment of demand flexibility, demand response, and energy efficiency measures.38 CR 17, September 10, 2015, effective 9/30/201539 CR 06, March 25, 2016, effective 4/14/201639 CR 08, April 25, 2016, effective 5/15/201640 CR 22, November 25, 2017, effective 12/15/201742 CR 03, February 10, 2019, effective 3/2/201942 CR 07, April 10, 2019, effective 4/30/201942 CR 09, May 10, 2019, effective 5/30/201943 CR 08, April 25, 2020, effective 5/15/202043 CR 12, June 25, 2020, effective 7/15/202043 CR 20, October 25, 2020, effective 11/14/202044 CR 13, July 10, 2021, effective 7/30/202144 CR 24, December 25, 2021, effective 1/14/202245 CR 18, September 25, 2022, effective 10/15/202246 CR 02, January 25, 2023, effective 2/14/2023