Item 12
1 VALLEY CLEAN ENERGY ALLIANCE
Staff Report – Item 12
TO: Board of Directors
FROM: Chad Curran, Director of Power Services
SUBJECT: 2026 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) Schedule and Process DATE: April 9, 2026
RECOMMENDATION
Informational - no action requested.
BACKGROUND
Since 2018, VCE has been required by the CPUC to prepare an IRP on a biannual basis. VCE last filed an IRP on November 1, 2022. At the October 13, 2022, meeting, the Board approved VCE’s 2022 IRP1. The CPUC originally expected to require load serving entities (LSEs) to file their next IRPs in the fall of 20242. After significant delays in the IRP process, on January 16, 2026, the CPUC issued a ruling setting a due date for the next IRP of June 1, 2026. On March 9, 2026, the CPUC issued a ruling extending that due date to August 10, 2026.
ANALYSIS
VCE must file an Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) by August 10, 2026. This staff report describes the schedule and process for this IRP.
IRP filings are the vehicle by which the CPUC and stakeholders gain insight into individual LSEs’ plans for meeting state goals and how LSEs show compliance with their requirements under PUC 454.52(a)(1). VCE’s objective for the upcoming IRP process is to provide guidance to VCE’s Board, executive management, and the public on the expected power supply cost and the resources needed to meet the electric demand in the 2026-2045 period, while meeting CPUC’s requirements for portfolio planning and VCE’s strategic plan goals at the lowest cost.
IRP PROCESS
The CPUC sets the filing requirements for load serving entities’ (LSEs) IRPs. Each LSE must file one “conforming portfolio” that achieves GHG emissions that are equal to or less than the LSE’s proportional share of the state’s targets for GHG emissions of 25 MMT by 2035 and 8 MMT by 2045. 1 https://valleycleanenergy.org/wp-content/uploads/Item-13-Approval-of-2022-Integrated-Resource-Plan-Updated-10-10- 22-10-13-22.pdf
2 https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M529/K525/529525977.PDF Item 12
2 The CPUC provides a wide range of inputs and assumptions for the IRP, such as load forecasts, resource costs, statewide resource potential, and generation profiles for different resource types.
Using the inputs and assumptions provided by the CPUC, VCE and its team will develop a confirming portfolio that satisfies the CPUC’s requirements for the IRP filing. This portfolio will consist of existing resources in VCE’s power portfolio, and future resources to be procured.
VCE’s IRP TEAM
VCE Staff will work with an experienced team to prepare its 2026 IRP:
• EQ Research - EQ serves as VCE’s regulatory consultant, helping VCE monitor, interpret, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, and prepare regulatory filings such as the IRP. • The Energy Authority (TEA) - TEA (VCE’s Wholesale Energy Provider) assists VCE with analysis, planning, procurement, and implementation of VCE’s power procurement portfolio. • Keyes & Fox – VCEs Regulatory Counsel for the IRP.
• First Principles Advisory (FPA) - FPA will use the open-source GenX software to perform portfolio modeling.
CPUC IRP FILING
The IRP filing due to the CPUC by August 10, 2026, will consist of three components:
• A narrative template describing VCE’s plan development approach, results of analytical work, and action plan.
• A resource data template (RDT) reporting VCE’s existing and planned energy and capacity contracts.
• A clean system power calculator (CSP) estimating the GHG and criteria pollutant emissions of VCE’s portfolios and verifying that VCE’s portfolio achieves its assigned GHG and reliability planning benchmarks.
VCE IRP SCHEDULE
Below is a schedule of the next major milestones for VCE in the IRP process. • May 28, 2026 - Staff will present the initial results of the IRP analysis to the CAC. • June 25, 2026 – If necessary, Staff will seek additional feedback from the CAC. • July 9, 2026 – VCE staff will present its final report to the Board on its IRP and seek Board approval to file the IRP.
• August 10, 2026 – The deadline for the IRP to be filed with the CPUC.
COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
At the March 26, 2026, Community Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting, Staff presented about the IRP schedule and process as an information only item.
CONCLUSION
Staff will return to the CAC in the coming months to seek additional feedback and recommendations to the Board. At the July 9, 2026 Board meeting, staff will seek Board approval to file VCE’s 2026 IRP.