Services

Bundled and Unbundled Cost of Service Studies

Bundled Cost of Service Study evaluates existing or proposed rate structures providing information necessary to determine facility or customer charges, demand charges, energy charges and other elements of rate tariff design. An unbundled cost of service study provides the support necessary to develop delivery service rates for consumers who want to choose their provider of energy. These studies separate the cost of traditional cost of service studies into various business functions.

Bundled and Unbundled Retail Rate Design

Rate design projects can incorporate the development of comprehensive rate tariffs for all consumer classes, including special service rates for interruptible, economic development, high load factor, and transmission loads. The tariffs can include special delivery service tariffs designed to meet the revenue requirement goals of the distribution system while allowing the members to choose their supplier of power and energy.

Deregulation and Customer Choice Evaluation

The department is currently tracking and evaluating the delivery service implementation plans and delivery service rates of each investor-owned utility in Illinois. This service will include the detail evaluations of these filings and reports made available to each member cooperative. These cases before the Illinois Commerce Commission are the cornerstones of the application customer choice statutes in Illinois.

Power Requirements Studies

Econometric Models make use of econometrics to relate outside influences upon the usage characteristics of cooperative’s members. This technique is used in the development of long range energy and demand forecasts.

Borrower’s Environmental Report

Rural Utilities Services requires each cooperative to submit an environmental analysis of projects set forth in construction work plans as part of any loan request. These studies require our staff to make field visits to sites where proposed construction projects will be built.

As part of these projects, the department contacts each state and federal agency with jurisdiction to review the environmental impacts of projects in Illinois.

Delivery Service Rates

The Engineering Department has spent the past year tracking and evaluating the delivery service implementation plans and delivery service rates for each investor-owned utility in Illinois. This knowledge allows the Engineering Department to design and evaluate delivery service rates and implementation plans for cooperatives who become Alternative Retail Electric Suppliers or plan to provide customer choice. Lastly, the Engineering Department has obtained the delivery service rates for all the investor-owned utilities in Illinois that were filed in accordance with the Illinois Commerce Commission’s orders.

Expert Testimony

Carl D. Dufner, P.E., Vice President of Engineering has more than 31 years of experience in the cooperative and utility industries. He has provided expert testimony before the Illinois Commerce Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Other Services

• Financial Trending and Support
• Special Contract Rate Design
• Wholesale Power Contract Negotiation