Requesting small customer status. Small customers may submit a request to prepare a small customer plan instead of an IRP. Requests for small customer status from electric utilities must include data on total annual energy sales and usage for the 5 years prior to the request. Western will average this data to determine overall annual energy sales and usage so that uncontrollable events, such as extreme weather, do not distort levelized energy sales and usage. Requests from end-use customers must only document that the customer does not purchase electricity for resale. Western will respond to small customer status requests within 30 days of receiving the request. If Western disapproves a request, the customer must maintain its currently applicable IRP, or submit the initial IRP no later than 1 year after the date of the disapproval letter. Alternatively, the customer may submit a request for minimum investment report or EE/RE report status, as appropriate.

Small customer plan contents. Small customer plans must:

Consider all reasonable opportunities to meet future energy service requirements using demand-side management techniques, renewable energy resources, and other programs that provide retail consumers with electricity at reasonable cost;

Minimize, to the extent practical, adverse environmental effects; and

Present in summary form the following information:

Customer name, address, phone number, email and Website if applicable, and contact person;

Type of customer;

Current energy and demand profiles and data on total annual energy sales and usage for the previous 5 years for utility customers, or current energy and demand use for end-use customers;

Future energy services projections;

How items in paragraphs (b)(1) and (b)(2) of this section were considered; and

Actions to be implemented over the customer's planning timeframe.

When to submit small customer plans. Small customers must submit the first small customer plan to the appropriate Western Regional Manager within 1 year after Western approves the request for small customer status. Small customers must submit, in writing, a small customer plan every 5 years.

Maintaining small customer status. (1) Every year on the anniversary of Western's approval of the plan, small customers must submit a letter to Western verifying that either their annual energy sales and usage is 25 GWh or less averaged over the previous 5 years, or they continue to be end-use customers. The letter must also identify their achievements against targeted action plans, as well as the revised summary of actions if the previous summary of actions has expired.

Western will use the letter for overall program evaluation and comparison with the customer's plan, and for verification of continued small customer status. Customers may submit annual update letters outside of the anniversary date if previously agreed to by Western so long as the letter contains all required data for the previous full year.

Losing eligibility for small customer status. (1) A customer ceases to be a small customer if it:

Is a utility customer and exceeds total annual energy sales and usage of 25 GWh, as averaged over the previous 5 years; or

Is no longer an end-use customer.

Western will work with a customer that loses small customer status to develop an appropriate schedule for submitting an IRP or other report required under this subpart.