Utility Planner
Preparing integrated resource plans (IRPs)
What You Do Today
Develop the utility's long-term resource plan — a comprehensive document filed with regulators that lays out how the utility will meet customer needs for the next 10-20 years.
AI That Applies
AI generates scenario analyses, sensitivity runs, and visualization of plan outcomes. Automates the comparison of alternative resource portfolios across multiple criteria.
Technologies
How It Works
For preparing integrated resource plans (irps), the system draws on the relevant operational data and applies the appropriate analytical models. The simulation engine runs thousands of scenarios by varying each uncertain input across its probability range, building a distribution of outcomes that quantifies the risk. The output — scenario analyses — surfaces in the existing workflow where the practitioner can review and act on it. The narrative, stakeholder engagement, and regulatory strategy.
What Changes
Sensitivity analysis and scenario runs that used to take weeks happen in hours. The IRP explores more alternative futures more thoroughly.
What Stays
The narrative, stakeholder engagement, and regulatory strategy. An IRP is as much a political document as a technical one — that requires human skill.
What To Do Next
This section won't tell you what your numbers should be. It will show you how to find them yourself. Every instruction below produces a real, verifiable result in your organization. No benchmarks, no projections — just the steps to build your own evidence.
Establish Your Baseline
Know where you are before you move
Before adopting AI tools for preparing integrated resource plans (irps), understand your current state.
Without a baseline, you can't measure whether AI actually improved anything. You'll adopt tools without knowing if they're working.
Define Your Measures
What to track and how to calculate it
Time per cycle
How to calculate
Measure how long preparing integrated resource plans (irps) takes end-to-end today, then after AI adoption.
Why it matters
The most visible improvement is speed. If AI doesn't save time, question whether it's adding value.
Quality of output
How to calculate
Track error rates, rework frequency, or stakeholder satisfaction scores before and after.
Why it matters
Speed without quality is just faster mistakes. Measure both.
Start These Conversations
Who to talk to and what to ask
your VP Operations or COO
“How would we know if AI actually improved preparing integrated resource plans (irps) — what would we measure before and after?”
They're prioritizing which operational processes to automate
your process improvement or lean lead
“If we automated the routine parts of preparing integrated resource plans (irps), what would the team do with the freed-up time?”
They understand the workflow dependencies that AI tools need to respect
Check Your Prerequisites
Confirm readiness before you invest
Check items as you confirm them.