Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 18, September 24, 2024
When used in this rule, unless otherwise specified the
following definitions shall apply:
A.
Definitions beginning with "A":
(1)
action plan means the
proposed process and specific actions the utility shall carry out to implement
the integrated resource plan spanning a three year period following the filing
of the utility's integrated resource plan;
(2)
availability factor means
the ratio of the time a generating facility is available to produce energy at
its rated capacity to the total amount of time in the period being
measured;
B.
Definitions beginning with "B": [RESERVED]
C.
Definitions beginning with "C":
capacity factor means the ratio of the net energy produced by a
generating facility during a given time period to the amount of net energy that
could have been produced if the facility operated continuously at full capacity
during that same time period;
D.
Definitions beginning with "D":
(1)
demand response means a form
of load management that involves changes in electric usage by end-use customers
from their normal consumption patterns, either in response to changes in the
price of electricity over time, or to incentive payments designed to induce
lower electricity use at times of high wholesale market prices or when system
reliability is jeopardized;
(2)
demand-side resource means storage, responsive distributed
generation, and loads engaged in demand response programs that can support the
grid by responding to market signals or direct load control;
(3)
derating means a temporary
or permanent reduction in the expected power output of a generating
facility;
(4)
distributed
energy resource (DER) means the equipment used by an interconnection
customer to generate, store, or generate and store electricity that operates in
parallel with the electric distribution system.
(a) DER may include, but is not limited to:
an electric generator with or without an energy storage system, a prime mover,
or combination of technologies capable of injecting power and energy into the
electric distribution system, which also includes the interconnection equipment
necessary to safely interconnect with the distribution system;
(b) DER may not always be interconnected with
the bulk power system;
(c) DER may
include distributed generation resources, distributed energy storage, demand
response energy efficiency, and electric vehicles and chargers that are
connected to the electric distribution power grid;
(e) DER may be capable of exporting active
power to an electric power system;
(f) DER includes the customer's
interconnection facilities but shall not include the area electric power system
operator's interconnection facilities.
E.
Definitions beginning with
"E":
(1)
emergency procurement
means a utility's procurement to address a system-based emergency
condition including a serious threat to public health, welfare, safety, or
property caused by a flood, fire, epidemic, riot, act of terrorism, equipment
failure, or similar event.
(2)
energy efficiency means measures, including energy conservation
measures, or programs that target consumer behavior, equipment, or devices, to
result in a decrease in consumption of electricity without reducing the
quantity or quality of energy services;
(3)
energy storage resource
means a commercially available technology that is capable of absorbing
energy, storing it for a period of time, and thereafter delivering the energy.
(a) specifically, it means a commercially
available technology that:
(i) uses
mechanical, chemical, or thermal processes to:
(ii) store energy, including energy generated
from renewable energy resources and energy that would otherwise be wasted, and
deliver the stored energy for use at a later time; or
(iii) store thermal energy for direct use for
heating or cooling at a later time in a manner that reduces the demand for
electricity at the later time;
(iv)
is composed of stationary equipment;
(v) if being used for electric grid benefits,
is operationally visible and capable of being controlled by the distribution or
transmission entity managing it, to enable and optimize the safe and reliable
operation of the electric system; and
(b) achieves any of the following:
(i) reduces peak electrical demand;
(ii) defers the need, or substitutes for, an
investment in electric generation, transmission, or distribution
assets;
(iii) improves the reliable
operation of the electrical transmission or distribution systems; or
(iv) lowers customer costs by storing energy
when the cost of generating or purchasing it is low and delivering it to
customers when the costs are high.
F.
Definitions beginning with
"F":
(1)
facilitated stakeholder
process means the statutory public advisory process pursuant to Section
62-17-10
NMSA 1978, conducted by a commission appointee to facilitate advisory
discussions among stakeholders, including members of the public, to advise the
public utility and reach potential agreement in the utility's development of
its statement of need and action plan;
(2)
flexibility means the
ability of a power system or resource to timely respond as needed to changes in
supply and demand through deployment or curtailment of resources by system
managers or other control methods, to maintain a balanced load, and to
compensate for the variability of renewable energy resources;
(3)
flexible generation means
generation resources that can start, ramp up, and ramp down quickly and
efficiently, can be dispatched, and run at low output levels, and can serve
frequency response and ancillary service needs, as needed;
G.
Definitions beginning with "G":
[RESERVED]
H.
Definitions beginning with "H": heat rate means the ratio of
energy inputs used by a generating facility expressed in British thermal units,
to the energy output of that facility expressed in kilowatt-hours;
I.
Definitions beginning with
"I":
(1)
integrated resource plan
(IRP) means a public utility's plan to meet New Mexico jurisdictional
retail customers' existing and future demand in accordance with this rule and
applicable state policies.
(a) specifically,
it means a set of resource options that a utility could use to meet the service
needs of its customers over a forecast period, including an explanation of the
supply and demand circumstances under which, and the extent to which, each
resource option would be used to meet those service needs.
(b) these resource options include, but are
not limited to, using, refurbishing, and constructing utility plant and
equipment, buying power generated by other entities, controlling customer
loads, and implementing customer energy conservation;
(2)
independent monitor (IM)
means a person or entity appointed by the commission to oversee the
conduct of a utility's competitive procurement process as addressed in this
rule. The IM shall report to the commission regarding the utility's conformance
with the most recently accepted statement of need and action plan and the
sufficiency, reasonableness, competitive fairness, and completeness of that
process;
J.
Definitions beginning with "J": [RESERVED]
K.
Definitions beginning with "K":
[RESERVED]
L.
Definitions beginning with "L":
(1)
load forecasting means the
prediction of the demand for electricity and energy over the planning period
for the utility;
(2)
load
management means measures or programs that target equipment or devices
to decrease peak electricity demand or shift demand from peak to off-peak
periods;
M.
Definitions beginning with "M": most cost-effective resource portfolio
means those supply-side resources and demand-side resources that
minimize the net present value of revenue requirements proposed by the utility
to meet electric system demand during the planning period consistent with
reliability and risk considerations;
N.
Definitions beginning with
"N":
(1)
net capacity
means the amount of flexible capacity necessary to supply instantaneous
demand over and above the available capacity from variable energy resources,
including wind and solar generation;
(2)
net load means the
difference between forecasted load and expected electricity production from
variable generation resources;
O.
Definitions beginning with "O":
[RESERVED]
P.
Definitions beginning with "P":
(1)
planning period means the
future period for which a utility develops its IRP, which, for purposes of this
rule, is 20 years;
(2)
public
utility or utility has the same meaning as in the Public Utility Act,
except that it does not include a distribution cooperative utility as defined
in the Efficient Use of Energy Act.
Q.
Definitions beginning with "Q":
[RESERVED]
R.
Definitions beginning with "R":
(1)
regional energy market means
an organized interstate market for energy, ancillary services, or capacity,
operated by an independent entity (independent system operator or regional
transmission operator) subject to regulatory authority of the Federal energy
regulatory commission;
(2)
renewable energy means electrical energy generated by use of
renewable energy resources and delivered to a public utility;
(3)
renewable energy resource
means the following energy resources, with or without energy storage:
(a) solar, wind and geothermal;
(b) hydropower facilities brought in service
on or after July 1, 2007;
(c)
biomass resources, limited to agriculture or animal waste, small diameter
timber, not to exceed eight inches, salt cedar and other phreatophyte or woody
vegetation removed from river basins or watersheds in New Mexico; provided that
these resources are from facilities certified by the energy, minerals and
natural resources department to:
(i) be of
appropriate scale to have sustainable feedstock in the near vicinity;
(ii) have zero life cycle carbon emissions;
and
(iii) meet scientifically
determined restoration, sustainability and soil nutrient principles;
(d) fuel cells that do not use
fossil fuels to create electricity; and
(e) landfill gas and anaerobically digested
waste biogas; and
S.
Definitions beginning with
"S": statement of need means a description and explanation of the amount
and type of new resources, expressed in terms of energy or capacity, necessary
to reliably meet an identified level of electricity demand in the planning
horizon and to effect state policies.
T.
Definitions beginning with "T":
[RESERVED]
U.
Definitions beginning with "U": [RESERVED]
V.
Definitions beginning with "V":
[RESERVED]
W.
Definitions beginning with "W": [RESERVED]
X.
Definitions beginning with "X":
[RESERVED]
Y.
Definitions beginning with "Y": [RESERVED]
Z.
Definitions beginning with "Z":
[RESERVED]
