Gas and electric integrated planning

Integrating the gas and electric planning is the only approach for addressing the challenges of gas industry restructuring. The integrated process involves: developing long range gas and electric forecasts; developing separate long-range gas and electric optimal plans meeting the long range forecasts; consideration of a wide variety of supply and demand side options; considerations of electric reliability impacts of the electric system; economic models of all options; developing the integrated best long-range integrated plan to meet the future load growth; documentation and support for strategic planning activities; provisions for implicit or explicit risk sharing on major supply and capacity decisions between utilities and regulators; and review of distributed generation possibilities for the distribution and transmission planning. The coordinated planning should begin with a clear set of objectives that define the mission of the utility, Minimization of all costs should be considered. This includes the utility, the customer, and social costs that may be determined.