As regional energy systems experience higher levels of variable renewable generation, rising electricity demand, and increasing climate and weather-related risks, electric company resource planners are increasingly interested in understanding the extent to which the systems they plan may rely on neighboring regions during periods of high system stress. Modeling improvements with respect to how regional imports are characterized may support identifying more reliable resource portfolios. This report reviews current approaches for representing market interactions and other regional imports in long-term resource planning models. Ten integrated resource plans (IRPs) and other long-term planning documents are reviewed to identify methods for modeling market interactions and regional imports. In addition, a survey conducted with electric company planning practitioners and interviews with subject matter experts in electric system planning reveal additional insights into modeling practices. The findings from this analysis provide guidance for companies seeking to better understand current industry practices for modeling import availability and to adopt improved methods in their own long-term resource planning efforts.
Authors Cody Hohl, et al.