20151202AVU to Staff 5.doc

AVISTA CORPORATION
RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

JURISDICTION: IDAHO DATE PREPARED: 12/02/2015
CASE NO: AVU-G-15-03 WITNESS: N/A
REQUESTER: IPUC RESPONDER: Mike Dillon
TYPE: Production Request DEPARTMENT: DSM
REQUEST NO.: Staff-05 TELEPHONE: [phone]

REQUEST:

Table 7.2 in the Company’s 2014 IRP (Integrated Resource Plan) shows a $10 million high pressure gas reinforcement upgrade in 2016 and 2017 and two additional upgrades expected after 2019. Please describe how energy efficiency programs could reduce or defer the need for these capacity upgrades (e.g. location-specific targeted marketing). Please include all financial analysis and an explanation of how the timing of these projects could change.

RESPONSE:

Targeted conservation is considered as part of the analysis of natural gas distribution constraints included in the natural gas planning process, however they do not depend on estimates of peak day demand reductions from conservation to eliminate near-term distribution system constraints, therefore it would be difficult for near term natural gas demand side management to defer the upcoming projects in 2016 and 2017.

However, if a longer-term system need were identified after 2019, targeted DSM could defer system constraints. The estimated scope and costs for projects would need to be performed and specific financial analysis or estimates of deferral. The actual approach would identify the current capacity of the gate stations, identify expected growth in those areas of the system, map out estimated end use system peak loads and begin targeting the end use loads with the greatest opportunity for peak system load reduction.