IRP FAQs

Integrated Resource Plan
Frequently Asked Questions

An IRP establishes an action plan and long-term trajectory for a utility to meet projected annual peak energy loads, overall energy demand and required reserve margins through a combination of generating (supply-side) and energy efficiency (demand-side) resources. IRPs were mandated for vertically integrated investor-owned utilities by the Energy Policy Act of 1992 in response to the energy challenges from previous decades. KYMEA prepares and submits an IRP to its governing body, the KYMEA Board of Directors, and conveys the IRP results to legislative and regulatory bodies.

Decisions to invest in power production resources are significant and complex, and KYMEA’s 2023 IRP will evaluate options to plan its future power portfolio to address members’ electricity needs. Commitments to generating resources will be carefully evaluated to ensure that long-term customer demand and energy needs are met while achieving goals for system reliability at stable and competitive rates in a fiduciarily responsible manner.

Because of the magnitude of information, modeling, and supporting studies that must be performed and evaluated, an IRP may take over a year to complete. KYMEA's process will consist of the following efforts:

  • Community Focus Group sessions to assess customer sentiment toward the composition, reliability, and cost of KYMEA’s future generating mix
  • Collecting information to be used in the evaluation of future generation portfolios, such as technology, cost, and performance characteristics
  • Reports and assistance from subject matter experts regarding matters that will provide insight to guide the overall IRP analysis
  • An analysis of a wide range of generation options that can be used to meet portfolio planning objectives
  • Measurement of key variables to determine a range of possible cost and performance outcomes and risk for proposed generation groups
  • Distribution of findings, including final recommendations and action plan to the KYMEA Board of Directors

KYMEA's final IRP report will be published on its website and results will be shared with legislative and regulatory bodies. KYMEA will provide progress updates as neccessary.

The 2023 IRP will establish a long-run trajectory to satisfy the energy needs of KYMEA and its member communities while continuing its tradition of strong system reliability and competitive rates. The 2023 IRP will also be used to recommend community investments in supporting programs, such as those that support conservation and load management, to help meet the overall planning objectives.

KYMEA’s power supply portfolio will change in the year 2027 when a purchase power agreement (PPA) expires. The 2023 IRP will evaluate additional needs and identify risks to achieve an appropriate mix of resources to pursue the objectives of our member communities.

KYMEA will review an array of potential power production and technology resources, energy storage, distributed technologies and conservation efforts to determine the best ongoing resource mix to provide an ample supply of reliable and environmentally sensible electricity at stable and competitive rates in a fiduciarily responsible manner.

KYMEA will analyze reasonable and achievable renewable energy scenarios when considering the direction for its energy future.

We encourage you to take part in KYMEA's IRP process by:

  • Attending one of our Board Meetings. The schedule can be found here.
  • Providing your comments via email to
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