Montana § 69-3-1203 - Definitions

§ 69-3-1203. Definitions

Definitions. As used in this part, unless the context requires otherwise, the following definitions apply: (1) "Abandonment costs" means the costs incurred for resources acquired and abandoned pursuant to a plan. (2) "Consumer counsel" means the consumer counsel provided for in 5-15-201 . (3) "Demand-side management programs" means energy efficiency, energy conservation, load management, and demand response or any combination of these measures implemented by an electric utility. (4) "Energy conservation" means the decrease in electricity requirements of specific customers during any selected time period, resulting in a reduction in end-use services. (5) "Energy efficiency" means the decrease in electricity requirements of specific customers during any selected period with end-use services of those customers held constant. (6) "Externalities" mean the impacts on society that are not directly borne by the producer in production and delivery activities, which due to imperfections in or the absence of markets are not accounted for in the producer's production and pricing decisions. (7) "Plan" means an integrated least-cost resource plan submitted by a utility in accordance with this part and the rules adopted under this part. (8) "Planning costs" means the costs of evaluating the future demand for services and of evaluating alternative methods of satisfying future demand. (9) "Planning period" means the future period for which a utility develops its plan, and the period over which net present value of revenue requirements for resources is calculated. For purposes of this part, the planning period is a minimum of 20 years and begins from the date the utility files its plan with the commission. (10) "Portfolio development costs" means the costs of preparing a resource in a portfolio for prompt and timely acquisition of the resource. (11) "Public utility" means a public utility, as defined in 69-3-101 , that provides electric or natural gas service. The term does not include municipal utilities.