Oregon Integrated Resource Plan

OREGON – Cascade Natural Gas Natural Gas – Integrated Resource Plan

The What: An Integrated Resource Plan describes a utility’s two- to four-year and twenty-year expectation of how Cascade expects to serve customers’ energy needs at the lowest reasonable and safe cost. The analyses in this 12-18 month process includes existing and potential new pipelines and natural gas supply contracts (among others) as well as benefits of energy efficiency to customers. The IRP provides a comprehensively deep and transparent insight into how a utility plans for customers’ energy future. See Previous Years’ IRP at the bottom of the page. The Executive Summary and Key Points are designed to provide a quick, but descriptive, explanation of the process and plan.

The Who: Customers and the general public are invited to participate in a series of meetings on the variety of topics contained in the IRP, including energy efficiency and carbon emission reductions. Together, customers and the general public participating in the IRP process are called Stakeholders. Stakeholders also include the professional analytical staffs of the state utility commissions and groups representing residential and industrial customers. Further community-based organizations and independent experts attend the series of meetings.

How it works: The IRP process begins with a kick-off meeting to lay out the 12-18 month schedule of four to six meetings as well as provide an overview of what issues will be covered. These meetings are called Technical Advisory Group meetings or TAGs. Links are available to the TAG presentations, minutes, and written responses to Stakeholder’s requests and comments.

The Goal:  Aim to provide diverse stakeholder input into long-term planning decisions that balance reliability, affordability, and environmental responsibility. The group reviews modeling assumptions, regulatory frameworks, and scenario analyses to ensure transparency and alignment with public interest. Its goal is to enhance the credibility and robustness of the IRP process by fostering collaboration among utility staff, regulators, community representatives, general public and technical experts.

What to expect: Expectations of participants and tips for the best way for Stakeholders (including customers and the general public) are described in Cascade’s Stakeholder Engagement Design Document. This is a “living document” and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

Sign up! Get on Cascade’s distribution list. You may participate in multiple ways ranging from attending the TAG meetings (either in-person or remotely) to receiving the agendas/presentations to opportunity to comment. Do so by contacting the Manager of Supply Resource Planning, Brian Robertson at either [email protected] or (509) 221-9808. You may also contact the Company’s IRP email address at [email protected]. Cascade uses MSTeams as its means to connect participants remotely. MSTeams is a free application to be used by Stakeholders including customers and the general public.

Accommodations: As shown as point #1 on page 2 of the Stakeholder Engagement Design Document, Cascade will provide reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. Additionally, the Company will reasonably accommodate items such as requests for meeting locations, audio and visual capabilities, and other items requested by external stakeholders. If you have a request for accommodations, please reach out to one of the contacts listed above and the Company will gladly coordinate any reasonable requests for accommodations.

A pre- and post-IRP feedback report provides information on public feedback, when it was received, and how the feedback was responded to:

Pre- and Post-IRP feedback report: IRP Feedback Report