Distribution System Planning

We provide technical assistance and a systematic approach for long-term grid investment strategies that address policy objectives, stakeholder needs, and grid modernization.

Shaping the DSP Vision into Actionable Grid Integration and Flexibility at Scale

The electric power distribution system is undergoing a profound transformation. Historically, electricity service was primarily structured around centralized generation and supply-side investment, with distribution networks functioning largely as passive delivery infrastructure. Today, that landscape has evolved into a far more complex and dynamic system in which energy resources can be deployed throughout the grid.

Surging load growth—driven by electrification, data centers, and advanced manufacturing—combined with execution and interconnection challenges for utility-scale resources, mounting affordability pressures, heightened reliability and resilience requirements, and ambitious climate objectives, is forcing utilities and regulators to fundamentally rethink how the grid is planned, operated, and financed. At the same time, utilities face the compounding challenge of aging infrastructure, requiring investment in new capacity while modernizing legacy assets and deploying advanced planning and analytics tools to support a more dynamic, bidirectional grid. Moving beyond traditional supply-side resource planning, an integrated approach that combines distribution system planning with strategies to incorporate distributed energy resources (DERs) is essential to ensure sufficient resources are available to meet accelerating demand and address affordability and resilience concerns.

Pragmatic Strategies to Enable Near-Term DER Deployment and Long-Term Grid Modernization

Distribution System Planning (DSP) provides a forward-looking framework to manage this transition. By integrating flexible resources and translating policy objectives, performance metrics, and system priorities into holistic infrastructure investment strategies amid uncertainty, DSP enables a more coordinated and cost-effective path forward. When well designed, DSP supports long-term grid modernization and investment, transforming DERs into flexible grid assets that enhance reliability and resilience while delivering measurable customer benefits at fair and affordable costs.

The Current Energy Group Approach

Advancing distribution system capabilities requires navigating complex technical, economic, and policy decisions. CEG focuses on pragmatic, implementable strategies that help clients translate high-level DSP visions into practical, near-term, actionable plans and regulatory outcomes.

We support grid modernization efforts through a holistic yet methodical approach—grounded in technical analysis, informed by real-world experience, and tailored to jurisdiction-specific objectives and constraints.

As expert witnesses and technical advisors, we understand evolving trends shaping the future of the distribution system. We help regulators and stakeholders evaluate and deploy DSP strategies, taking into account policy objectives, anticipated rates and patterns of DER deployment, utility capacity planning, grid reliability and resilience, and operational limitations.

Our work emphasizes:

• Near-term DER deployment aligned with long-term system goals
• Optimizing use of existing distribution assets
• Solutions to barriers and best practices to scale clean, flexible resources
• Actionable strategies that support grid integration and flexibility at scale

Relatable Projects and Testimony

• PSCo’s Electric Resource Plan (ERP). CEG evaluated electrification, DER, large load, and other forecasts within the ERP. Additional topics included equitable cost allocation, innovative rate designs to recover costs associated with large loads, and approaches for lowering system upgrade costs, such as flexible connections of load and export facilities.

• Colorado Electrification Rates. Testimony and technical assistance before the Colorado legislature on gas and electric rate topics, including gas capital expenditures (2023 Joint Select Committee on Rising Utility Rates), gas line extension allowances (S.B. 23-291), and electrification rates (S.B. 24-214).

• Colorado Time-of-use (TOU) Rate Design. Testimony In the Matter of Advice No. 1923 – Electric of Public Service Company of Colorado to Revise its Colorado P.U.C. No. 8 – Electric Tariff to Reset the General Rate Schedule Adjustments, to Place into Effect Revised Base Rates, and to Implement Other Phase II Tariff Proposals to Become Effective June 15, 2023. On behalf of WRA.

• CHARGED Initiative Rate Design Expert. CEG served as a rate design and proactive grid-upgrade expert for GridLab’s CHARGED Initiative. In this endeavor, CEG created innovative rate approaches for scaling flexible connections for import and export, DER cost allocation and recovery approaches, and proactive upgrade cost allocation and recovery to equitable recover system costs. Additionally, through CHARGED, CEG has served as an advisor to the AGO on the Massachusetts Interagency Rate Work Group’s near- and long-term ratemaking study and recommendations. CEG represents CHARGED in Illinois, Minnesota, and Massachusetts processes.

• Kentucky Rate Design and NEM Successor Tariff. Through a 4-year engagement, the CEG rate design team supported the Kentucky Public Service Commission. The engagement included: (1) training PSC staff on rate design, cost of service modeling, distribution system planning, and DER integration; (2) leading all expert analysis of NEM successor proceedings for regulated utilities (approximately six proceedings); (3) leading proceedings on qualifying facility avoided costs including building and modifying avoided cost models; and (4) building DER value stack avoided cost models.

• Southern California Edison Wholesale Distribution Tariff. Supported the California Energy Storage Association in creating a firm and non-firm distribution capacity tariff. The tariff is a first-of-its-kind tariff design that lowers system costs by deferring and avoiding system upgrades for FTM energy storage. CEG conducted cost modeling, was the lead architect of the rate design, and acted as the expert for settlement discussions that led to the rate.

• ComEd and Ameren Grid Plans (2023-Current): Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) and Flexible Connections. Testified on the structure and implementation process for VPPs and flexible connections for load and export. The Commission ordered these processes to be implemented, partly based on CEG’s recommendations, and CEG is actively working in work groups to design a VPP and deploy flexible connections collaboratively with both Ameren and ComEd.