Denton Utilities staff seeks council direction to formalize renewable-energy policy and start 20-year integrated resource plan

Tony Puente, general manager of Denton Municipal Electric (DME), told the City Council on June 3 that staff recommends two linked steps: adopt a city renewable energy policy that sets how Denton will count and retire renewable energy credits (RECs) and compliance premiums (CPs), and develop a 15-to-20-year integrated resource plan (IRP) to assess supply, demand-side management and long-term reliability.

The recommendation comes after Denton exceeded earlier local renewable targets and has about 455 megawatts of contracted capacity under PPA; Puente said the utility currently counts roughly 200 MW of that capacity for planning because solar and wind do not generate at full-rated capacity. He said DME expects to remain short of dispatchable generation and to rely on market purchases of RECs to fill annual gaps unless the council directs otherwise.

Why it matters: DME faces growth in load, potential large new customers such as data centers, and increasing regulatory uncertainty in ERCOT, including bills and proposals that would change interconnection and firming rules. Staff said a clear municipal policy on RECs and a long-term IRP would give a consistent accounting method, improve public reporting and create a framework to evaluate…