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distribution planning group provided extensive analysis.
Annually, this group collected data related to electrical power
needs from residential customers, small businesses,
commercial/industrial customers, large customers, and
governmental customers. The distribution planning process
involved: (i) Evaluation of load demands on the distribution
system; (ii) analysis of alternatives for providing electrical
service to customers, currently and over the long term; (iii)
evaluating the cost and reliability of alternatives against any
risk associated with the alternative; and (iv) selection of the
best alternative.
“Load” is the demand for electricity from customers. The
distribution planning group made projections of “load growth”
over the short, medium, and long terms.89 To project load
growth, the distribution planning group conducted an extensive
analysis of, inter alia, historical load growth and anticipated
land uses in relevant areas. The distribution planning group’s
expertise in analyzing load growth allowed FPL to determine the
89 Michael H. Hernandez, FPL’s operations support
supervisor, testified:
Distribution planning will go ahead and first
measure how much of our actual loading we have on our
existing equipment. We will review that loading. We
will go ahead and forecast loads into the future and
determine if there are any future weaknesses, either
current or future, and plan for alternatives of how to
go ahead and deal with those projected weaknesses.
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