Integrated Resource Plan
Cost and reliability drive our 15-year resource plan
Our Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) identifies the most cost-effective combination of resources for meeting our customers’ needs for reliable service during the next 15 years. On September 1, 2021, we submitted our 2022-2036 IRP to regulatory commissions in each of the three states we serve: Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
Since filing our IRP in September 2021, we've seen significant changes in the energy industry. These changes include the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s approval of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator's (MISO) new seasonal resource adequacy construct, MISO’s proposal to significantly increase winter and spring planning reserve margins, and enactment of the Inflation Reduction Act—which together drive the need to update our modeling.
On October 14, 2022, we asked the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission for permission to:
- Amend the IRP procedural schedule, allowing us time to update our modeling given these new circumstances. If granted permission, we plan to file updated modeling in March 2023.
- Maintain the original procedural schedule as it relates to adding dual fuel capability at Astoria Station. Our initial filing anticipates 2026 commercial operation, and we're engaged in development activities with that target date in mind. We believe it’s appropriate to address dual fuel at Astoria Station without delay to strengthen the reliability and availability of the unit during extreme conditions and to protect customers from extreme natural gas price fluctuations.
We don’t have a procedural schedule with the North Dakota Public Service Commission, so we submitted an informational letter regarding our Minnesota request. In similar spirit, the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission doesn’t have a formal IRP review process, so we submitted an informational letter in that docket as well.
As we’ve done since starting our resource planning process, we’ll continue to monitor the changing landscape.