The Commission Forecast 1992 Report: Important Resource Planning Issues

Abstract

There is a general agreement among experts in the electric utility industry that some power plants will be built in Texas in the 1990s. However, the existence of numerous alternatives to meet the growing demand may have a powerful impact on this new phase of construction. Therefore, the magnitude of the new power plant construction will probably not be as great as what we thought a few years ago. The author emphasizes the importance of using an integrated resource planning approach, in which alternative resources could be analyzed and compared adequately. While there are many important issues in the preparation of a utility's electric resource plan, the Commission staff will address a few important ones in the next Commission Forecast Report (Forecast '92). In particular, the Commission staff will insure that alternative resources, the environmental impacts of different technologies, and innovative rate design options are considered.