Technical Assistance Program for State Public Utility Commissions
Distribution System Planning - State Examples by Topic
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) held a webinar on May 14, 2018 to present and discuss a new report, Distribution System Planning - State Examples by Topic. This work was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Energy Technologies Office.
Links to the webinar slides and a recording of the webinar are located below. The report Distribution System Planning - State Examples by Topic developed by PNNL and LBNL draws on a recently completed study for the U.S. Department of Energy's Grid Modernization Lab Consortium on how utility regulators in 16 states have addressed distribution system planning in the context of grid modernization and higher levels of distributed energy resources (DERs). Information from the original DOE report, located here, was updated, synthesized and reorganized by category for the latest report and webinar.
Specific topics covered in the report and webinar include:
- Distribution investment plans and grid modernization plans
- Incentives reflecting locational benefits
- Hosting capacity analysis
- Non-wires alternatives
- Aligning distribution system planning with other types of planning
- Voluntary planning and surcharges to accelerate investment
Webinar slides:
Part 1 - Alan Cooke (PNNL)
Subjects Covered:
- Intro and acknowledgements
- Distribution planning approaches
- Vision statements, goals and objectives
- Distribution planning and grid modernization
Part 2 - Lisa Schwartz (LBNL)
Subjects Covered:
- Hosting capacity analysis
- Non-wires alternatives
- Voluntary planning and surcharges
Part 2 - Juliet Homer (PNNL)
Subjects Covered:
- Locational value
- Standardization of methodologies
- Reporting on poor performing circuits
- Aligning processes
Distribution System Planning - State Examples by Topic
Contact
Juliet Homer
juliet.homer@pnnl.gov
509-375-2698