Common use of System Assessment Report and Need Statements Clause in Contracts

System Assessment Report and Need Statements. Each year, ColumbiaGrid, in coordination with the Planning Parties and Interested Persons, shall prepare a Draft System Assessment Report and Draft Need Statements for the Biennial Plan then being developed; provided that Draft Need Statements need not be prepared for a Draft System Assessment Report for the second year of a Planning Cycle for any Need already identified in the previous system assessment or for any Need that does not require a Near-Term EOP solution. The procedure for the preparation of the Draft System Assessment Report and Draft Need Statements shall be as follows: (i) ColumbiaGrid, in coordination with the Planning Parties and Interested Persons, shall perform a system assessment through screening studies of the RIS using the Planning Criteria to determine the ability of each XXXX to serve, consistent with the Planning Criteria, its network load and native load obligations, if any, and other existing long-term firm transmission obligations that are anticipated to occur during the Planning Horizon. ColumbiaGrid shall base such assessment on the then current and appropriate WECC planning base cases; provided that Planning Parties shall provide updates to the input previously provided to ColumbiaGrid pursuant to section 4.6 of the body of this Agreement that was used by WECC to develop the planning base case. ColumbiaGrid shall update the then current WECC planning base case to reflect such updated information so that the system assessment reflects on-going transmission projects on the RIS and the likely completion dates of such projects to the extent such Projects and completion dates are reasonably forecasted to occur prior to the end of the Planning Horizon. ColumbiaGrid shall post drafts of the system assessment results as they become available during the system assessment process on its Website subject to any appropriate conditions to protect Confidential Information and CEII. (ii) ColumbiaGrid, in coordination with Planning Parties and Interested Persons, shall prepare a Draft System Assessment Report. Such Draft Report shall identify Needs that the system assessment has projected to occur during the Planning Horizon. (iii) On an on-going basis, each XXXX shall endeavor to inform Staff of any material change in conditions or any Need with respect to such XXXX (anticipated to occur during the Planning Horizon) that is not reflected in the system assessment. ColumbiaGrid shall include any such Needs in its Draft System Assessment Report. (iv) ColumbiaGrid, in coordination with the Planning Parties and Interested Persons, shall develop conceptual transmission solutions to any Need that is not expected to result in a Single System Project. ColumbiaGrid, in coordination with the Planning Parties and Interested Persons, shall then identify which of such Needs and related conceptual solutions are likely to result in Near- Term EOPs. (v) ColumbiaGrid, in coordination with the Planning Parties and Interested Persons, shall develop a Draft Need Statement for each such Need and its conceptual transmission solution so identified. Each such Draft Need Statement shall include the following information at a minimum: (1) a narrative description of the Need and the assumptions, applicable Planning Criteria, and methodology used to determine the Need; (2) one or more conceptual transmission-based solutions to meet the Need with estimated timelines and estimated costs to implement each such solution; and (3) an indication of whether a non-transmission solution might be viable to eliminate or delay the necessity for such a transmission-based solution. In the event that the Planning Parties, Affected Persons and ColumbiaGrid do not reach consensus on the content of any such Draft Need Statement, Staff shall determine the content of such Draft Need Statement; provided that in making its determination, Staff shall consider any comments and possible transmission solutions suggested by any Planning Party or Affected Person; provided further that ColumbiaGrid shall note in the Draft Need Statement that it determined the content of such statement and shall report the comments of Planning Parties and Affected Persons. (vi) ColumbiaGrid shall post drafts of the Draft Need Statements, as they become available, on the Website subject to any appropriate conditions to protect Confidential Information and CEII. (vii) ColumbiaGrid, in coordination with the Planning Parties and Affected Persons, will continue to work on Needs not likely to result in Near- Term EOPs as needed and appropriate over time notwithstanding the fact that Draft Need Statements for such Needs need not be prepared and included in the then current Draft System Assessment Report and Draft Need Statements. (viii) ColumbiaGrid shall present the Draft System Assessment Report and Draft Need Statements to the Board for review and comment.

System Assessment Report and Need Statements. Each year, ColumbiaGrid, in coordination with the Planning Parties and Interested Persons, shall prepare a Draft System Assessment Report and that includes Draft Need Statements for the Biennial Plan then being developed; provided that Draft Need Statements need not be prepared for a Draft System Assessment Report for the second year of a Planning Cycle for any Need already identified in the previous system assessment or for any EOP Need that does not require a Near-Term EOP solution. The procedure for the preparation of the Draft System Assessment Report and Draft Need Statements shall be as follows: (i) 3.1.1 ColumbiaGrid, in coordination with the Planning Parties and Interested Persons, shall perform a system an assessment through screening studies of the RIS using the Planning Criteria to determine the ability of each XXXX to serve, consistent with the Planning Criteria, its network load and native load obligations, if any, and other existing long-term firm transmission obligations that are anticipated to: (i) identify EOP Needs projected to occur during the Planning Horizon; and (ii) identify Needs other than EOP Needs projected to occur during the Planning Horizon as follows: a. ColumbiaGrid, in coordination with the Planning Parties and Interested Persons, shall consider and select Potential Needs from among the following for inclusion in the system assessment, based upon the factors as described in section 2.2 above of this Appendix A: 1. Potential Need of a XXXX identified by such XXXX: A. to respond to requests for transmission service and interconnection; B. to increase capacity on its Transmission System; and C. for a Single System Project; and 2. Potential Need identified by any Person for increased transmission capacity on the RIS. b. ColumbiaGrid shall document the basis upon which a Potential Need was not selected for inclusion in the system assessment. 3.1.2 ColumbiaGrid shall perform the system assessment and base such assessment on the then current and appropriate WECC planning base cases; provided that Planning Parties shall provide updates to the input previously provided to ColumbiaGrid pursuant to section sections 4.1 and 4.6 of the body of this Agreement that was used by WECC to develop the planning base caseAgreement. ColumbiaGrid shall insofar as practicable update the then current WECC planning base case to reflect such updated information so that the system assessment reflects on-going transmission projects on the RIS and the likely completion dates of such projects to the extent such Projects projects and completion dates are reasonably forecasted to occur prior to the end of the Planning Horizon. 3.1.3 ColumbiaGrid shall determine in each system assessment, with respect to any Order 1000 Project included in the Plan, the status and on-going progress of such Project. The Order 1000 Sponsor shall provide for each such system assessment, and such determination will be based on, updated Project information. The system assessment will include an assessment of whether such Project continues to be expected to meet the underlying Need(s) in a timely manner. If such Project does not so continue to be expected to meet such Need(s) in a timely manner, ColumbiaGrid may remove such Project from its Biennial Plan. Upon such removal, such Project shall not be an Order 1000 Project. It is recognized that such removal may result in alternative solutions in the transmission planning process to meet any applicable Need(s). 3.1.4 ColumbiaGrid shall post drafts of the system assessment results as they become available during the system assessment process on its Website subject to any appropriate conditions to protect Confidential Information and CEII. (ii) 3.1.5 ColumbiaGrid, in coordination with Planning Parties and Interested Persons, shall prepare a Draft System Assessment Report. Such Draft System Assessment Report shall identify reflect Needs that the system assessment has projected to occur during the Planning Horizon. (iiii) On an on-going basisDuring the development of the Draft System Assessment Report, each XXXX Planning Party shall endeavor to inform Staff of any material change in conditions or any Need with respect to such XXXX (anticipated to occur during the Planning Horizon) that with respect to such Planning Party of which it is not reflected aware affecting any Need(s) under consideration in the system assessment. Draft System Assessment Report as a Need. (ii) ColumbiaGrid shall include shall, insofar as practicable, take into account any such Needs updates in its Draft System Assessment Report. (iv) 3.1.6 ColumbiaGrid, in coordination with the Planning Parties and Interested Persons, shall (i) consider Proposed Projects, and shall develop conceptual transmission solutions to solutions, that address any Need Need(s) (other than any Need(s) that is not expected to result in a Single System Project. ColumbiaGrid, Project for which Order 1000 Cost Allocation has not been requested in coordination accordance with the Planning Parties section 10 of this Appendix A) and Interested Persons, shall then (ii) identify which of such EOP Needs and related conceptual solutions are likely to result in Near- Near-Term EOPs. (v) a. ColumbiaGrid, in coordination with the Planning Parties and Interested Persons, shall develop a Draft Need Statement for each such Need and its conceptual transmission solution so identifiedNeed. Each such Draft Need Statement shall include the following information at a minimum: (1) . a narrative description of the Need and the assumptions, applicable Planning Criteria, and methodology used to determine the Need; (2) one or more conceptual transmission-based solutions to meet the Need with estimated timelines and estimated costs to implement each such solution; and (3) an indication of whether a non-transmission solution might be viable to eliminate or delay the necessity for such a transmission-based solution. In the event that the Planning Parties, Affected Persons and ColumbiaGrid do not reach consensus on the content of any such Draft Need Statement, Staff shall determine the content of such Draft Need Statement; provided that in making its determination, Staff shall consider any comments and possible transmission solutions suggested by any Planning Party or Affected Person; provided further that ColumbiaGrid shall note in the Draft Need Statement that it determined the content of such statement and shall report the comments of Planning Parties and Affected Persons. (vi) ColumbiaGrid shall post drafts of the Draft Need Statements, as they become available, on the Website subject to any appropriate conditions to protect Confidential Information and CEII. (vii) ColumbiaGrid, in coordination with the Planning Parties and Affected Persons, will continue to work on Needs not likely to result in Near- Term EOPs as needed and appropriate over time notwithstanding the fact that Draft Need Statements for such Needs need not be prepared and included in the then current Draft System Assessment Report and Draft Need Statements. (viii) ColumbiaGrid shall present the Draft System Assessment Report and Draft Need Statements to the Board for review and comment.