EnCompass Results Used for Regulatory Filings
In the past week, filings were made for resource planning in Arizona and a rate case in Hawaii, both of which relied on analysis made using EnCompass software.
Arizona: AEPCO Integrated Resource Plan
May 3, 2017: Arizona Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. (“AEPCO”) filed its resource plan with the Arizona Corporation Commission under docket E-000000V-15-0094. For its analysis, AEPCO used EnCompass, “which analyzes hundreds of resource combinations in order to recommend lowest-cost resource portfolios that satisfy the peak demand obligations of the Cooperative load. By varying the assumed futures AEPCO and its Members may face, this tool assists AEPCO and its Members in making decisions aimed at low-cost, low-risk, reliable power supply for Cooperative customers.” AEPCO considered six different scenarios, three of which included the Clean Power Plan beginning in 2023. Two scenarios assumed Arizona would adopt a single rate-based plan with emission rate credits, and the third assumed a subcategory rate plan, with lower targets for combined cycle units and higher targets for all other affected fossil units.
Hawaii: HELCO and HECO Rate Cases
April 28, 2017: The Hawaii Division of Consumer Advocacy (“CA”) filed testimony and exhibits with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission as a party to Hawaii Electric Light Company’s (“HELCO”) rate case under docket 2015-0170. The CA’s consultants, Sawvel and Associates, used EnCompass to review HELCO’s 2016 test year analysis and recommend changes to those results. Sawvel considered detailed operational constraints that exist on the island of Hawaii (a/k/a the Big Island) including regulation up and down requirements, dual-train combined cycle modeling, daily start limits, and minimum local generation to prevent transmission overloading.
September 22, 2017: The CA filed testimony and exhibits with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission as a party to Hawaiian Electric Company’s (“HECO”) rate case under docket 2016-0328. Sawvel and Associates used EnCompass to review HECO’s 2017 test year analysis and recommend changes to those results. Sawvel considered detailed operational constraints including regulation down requirements, commitment operating constraints, and minimum fuel burn requirements.