Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 980 CMR - ENERGY FACILITIES SITING COUNCIL › Title 980 CMR 7.00 - Long-range Forecasts And Supplements › Section 7.01 - General Provisions

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
(1)
Scope and Purpose
.
			 980 CMR 7.00 sets forth the
			 procedures for the filing of and requirements for the content of long-range
			 forecasts, amended forecasts and supplements. Forecasts are required to be
			 filed every five years, and supplements in every intervening year. Forecasts
			 include a projection of future demand or sendout and a description of
			 facilities which may be required to meet future demand or sendout. Forecasts by
			 electric companies will cover a ten year period, and gas companies a five year
			 period.
980 CMR 7.01,
				7.02 and
				7.09 apply
				to both electric and gas companies.
				980 CMR
				7.03,
				7.04
				and
				7.05
				set forth procedures for the preparation of forecasts and supplements by
				electric companies.
				980 CMR
				7.06,
				7.07
				and
				7.08
				set forth the procedures for the preparation of forecasts and supplements by
				gas companies.
(2)
Statutory Authority
.
			 980 CMR 7.00 is promulgated
			 pursuant to M.G.L. c. 164, §§ 69H, 69I and 69J.
(3)
Definitions
. For
			 purposes of
			 980 CMR 7.00, the definitions
			 set forth in
			 980 CMR 2.03 and
			 980 CMR 7.00 apply, unless the
			 context or subject matter requires a different interpretation.
Forecast
means long-range forecast,
				amended, or supplemental forecast.
Lead Company means
, in the case of a
				facility proposed to be constructed or owned jointly by more than one company,
				the company responsible for providing all information required by
				980 CMR
				7.04,
				7.05,
				7.07
				or
				7.08
				to be included in a forecast or supplement and all information required
				pursuant to
				980 CMR 1.05(6)
				 and
				7.02(8)(a)
				 during the course of a proceeding, and, in
				the case of a facility proposed to be constructed or owned by only one company,
				that company.
Peak Demand or Peak Load
(electric)
				means the maximum rate or consumption of electrical energy in a system, or part
				thereof, expressed as the maximum megawatt hours per hour during a specified
				time period (day, week, month, year, etc.)
Peak Demand or Peak Load
(gas) means
				the highest daily consumption in a month, season, or year.
Sendout
means the total volume of gas
				distributed by a company, including gas used by the company and gas unaccounted
				for.
(4)
Application of
			 980 CMR 1.00 and
			 2.00
.
			 980 CMR 1.00 and
			 2.00 shall apply to
			 980 CMR 7.00 except to the
			 extent that
			 980 CMR 1.00,
			 980 CMR 2.00 and
			 980 CMR 7.00 in conflict. In
			 the event of a conflict,
			 980 CMR 1.00 shall prevail
			 over
			 980 CMR 2.00 and
			 980 CMR 7.00 shall prevail
			 over
			 980 CMR 1.00 and
			 2.00.
(5)
General Principles and
			 Practices
.
(a)
									980 CMR 7.00 shall apply to
			 all electric and gas companies, including but not limited to generating
			 companies, transmission companies, pipeline companies, liquid natural gas
			 companies, synthetic gas manufacturing companies, and distribution companies.
			 Each such company shall prepare a separate forecast or supplement, subject to
			 the provisions of 980 CMR 7.01(5)(c).
(b) In the case of a company doing business
			 in other states or countries as well as in the Commonwealth, the company shall
			 prepare two separate forecasts or supplements: one for Massachusetts only and a
			 second for its entire electric or gas operation. The latter forecast shall be
			 for informational purposes and shall not be subject to review by the Council;
			 provided, however, that the Council shall review a forecast of its entire
			 operations if that forecast serves to justify the construction of facilities in
			 the Commonwealth and subject to Council review. Notwithstanding the provisions
			 of this paragraph to the contrary, interstate gas transmission companies shall
			 not be required to prepare any forecast or supplement for any part of a service
			 area which lies outside of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the states of
			 Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and
			 Vermont.
(c) Companies may file
			 joint forecasts or supplements, using the same or comparable methodologies and
			 assumptions. Even so, all historical sales and demand or sendout data and
			 forecast levels must be stated separately for each company whose wholesale and
			 retail sales exceed two percent of total retail sales in the Commonwealth. Any
			 company whose wholesale and retail sales do not exceed two percent need not
			 file such data separately if it participates in a joint forecast or supplement.
			 In the event of a joint forecast or supplement, the Council may conduct a joint
			 adjudicatory proceeding concerning the forecasts or supplement. In such a
			 proceeding the Council may render separate and different decisions for
			 different companies.
(d) Electric
			 companies shall, whenever appropriate and unless otherwise specified, report
			 data in terms of megawatts electric (MW), megawatts thermal (MWt),
			 megawatt-hours (MWH), kilovolts (kV), megavolt-amperes (MVa), or millions of
			 Btu's (MMBtu). Gas companies shall, whenever appropriate and unless otherwise
			 specified, report data in terms of millions of Btu's (MMBtu) or millions of
			 Btu's per day (MMBtu/day).
(e) The
			 following practices shall be followed when accurate historical data cannot be
			 provided.
1. Historical data which cannot be
			 provided shall be estimated.
2.
			 Notation shall be made indicating which data were estimated.
3. A description of the estimation process
			 used shall be included in the forecast or supplement.
4. Data records of significant required data
			 shall be kept so as to replace the estimated data if the data becomes available
			 in subsequent forecast years. Such estimated data shall be replaced, if
			 appropriate, by the next long-range forecast or supplement.
(f) Where a facility is to be
			 owned jointly by more than one company, then a designated lead company may
			 include in its long-range forecast the information required by
			 980 CMR 7.04(8)
			  or
			 7.07(7)
			  and all other participants may incorporate
			 such information by reference.
(g)
			 The information required by this Chapter shall be submitted in such form as the
			 Council may require.
(h) The
			 procedures and requirements established in
			 980 CMR
			 7.03,
			 7.04,
			 7.06
			 and
			 7.07
			 for forecasts shall apply to supplements to the extent appropriate pursuant to
			 the terms of
			 980 CMR
			 7.05 and
			 7.08.