Modernizing electricity systems is critical to achieving state energy goals such as reliability and resilience, affordability, economic development, clean energy resources, transportation electrification, and other environmental goals. Electric distribution system planning assesses needed physical and operational changes for the local grid. State and Territory Energy Offices develop plans, programs, policies, and projects that have a substantial impact on electric distribution systems. State Energy Offices also can participate in distribution system planning (DSP) processes to help ensure that utilities - consumer- and investor-owned - meet the state’s future energy needs. Distribution system plans provide a utility's strategic roadmap for investing in grid technologies and systems to achieve the state's energy goals and objectives.

The NASEO Electric Distribution Working Group brings together State Energy Offices, along with representatives from investor- and consumer-owned utilities as well as other outside experts, to delve into the role that integrated distribution planning plays in enabling states to advance their respective energy goals. This working group convenes quarterly on virtual calls to share best practices, explore holistic approaches to integrated distribution system planning, and strategize policy, programmatic, and regulatory solutions to distribution system challenges.

NASEO/NARUC/LBNL Distribution System Planning Training 2.0: Integrating Resilience Planning in Distribution System Planning:
NASEO-NARUC Training for States on Integrated Distribution System Planning 1.0: Planning for Load Growth and Local Resources (April 30 - May 1, 2025):

NASEO-NARUC DER Integration and Compensation Initiative Module 3 Workshops

  • Workshop 1: Foundations of Modern Distribution Planning, August 13, 2024 (presentations, summary report)
  • Workshop 2: Tools & Analyses for Distribution Planning, September 17, 2024, and October 10, 2024 (presentations, summary report)
  • Workshop 3: Leveraging Grid Planning to Inform Decision Making, November 20, 2024 

NASEO-NARUC DER Integration and Compensation Initiative Module 2 Workshops

NASEO-NARUC DER Integration and Compensation Initiative Module 1 Webinars:​

NASEO-NARUC DER Integration and Compensation Initiative Webinar: Grid Modernization Strategies to Accelerate Deployment of DERs, April 2023 (recording, presentation)

NARUC-NASEO Webinar: Grid Investments for FERC Order 2222, January 27, 2023 (recording, presentation)

NARUC-NASEO Distributed Energy Resource Integration and Compensation Workshop

  • DER-Bulk Power System Coordination, September 20, 2022 (presentation)
  • DER Integration through Advancing Interconnection, September 21, 2022 (presentation)

Distribution, NASEO Event Recordings: DER Aggregation Participation in Electricity Markets: NASEO and NARUC Webinar on EPRI Collaborative Forum Final Report and FERC Order 2222 Roadmap Confirmation, June 2, 2022 (recording, report)