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What is IRP CoLab?

IRP CoLab was formed by GridLab and RMI to support power system planners as they evolve Integrated Resource Planning tools and practices for a rapidly changing energy landscape. By convening a diverse community of power sector practitioners, including open-source developers, public interest groups, industry groups, utility planners, academicians, and consultants, IRP CoLab produces technical resources and develops innovative planning solutions. As the power system evolves, IRP Colab ensures planning evolves with it, turning emerging challenges into practical approaches planners can implement in near-term IRPs.

Brochure
What does IRP CoLab do?
IRP CoLab advances collaborative, modern planning through three core functions.
Connect

We convene diverse stakeholders for constructive dialogue on innovative modeling practices, with an emphasis on open-source power system modeling. By bringing together utilities, regulators, intervenors, and technical experts, IRP Colab enables participants to speak a common technical language and ground insights in real-world planning experience.

Develop

We produce technical resources (e.g., best practice guidance, briefs on emerging planning topics) informed by both expert input and real-world application. These resources are designed to improve system reliability, cost-effectiveness, and transparency in IRPs.

Collaborate

We work with partners to test, refine, and apply improved modeling approaches in real-world IRPs, ground-truthing insights and ensuring they are practical, actionable, and responsive to evolving system needs.

What issues does IRP CoLab focus on?

IRP CoLab recognizes the need to evaluate the full planning cycle, from foundational assumptions and modeling through scenario analysis and the regulatory process of proposing, evaluating, and deciding on integrated resource plans.

These illustrative focus areas are based on input from a diverse set of collaborators and reflect real world challenges in active IRPs:

Transmission and Regional Coordination
Such as coordination between resource planning and transmission planning, regional resource sharing, and alignment across utilities and planning entities.
Risk, Uncertainty, and Scenario Analysis
Such as scenario and sensitivity analysis, probabilistic planning, evaluating risk, and robust planning approaches.
Resource Adequacy and Reliability Modeling
Such as reliability metrics, capacity accreditation methods, extreme weather and stress testing, and the treatment of clean energy and storage in IRPs.
Stakeholder Engagement and Transparency
Such as improved data sets and data access, automation and reproducibility, and clear communication of modeling results.
What can IRP CoLab do for you?
Partner with us on developing and testing ideas
Work with IRP CoLab to develop and test industry-leading practices for meeting planning challenges in active IRPs, other planning analyses, or research efforts. You might be a consultant, a researcher, or a utility — all are welcome!
Join IRP CoLab events and discussions
Become part of a collaborative network of utilities, regulators, and experts shaping the future of Integrated Resource Planning. Reduce duplicative effort, learn from peers, and speed up high quality planning.
Access insights, tools and resources
Engage with IRP Colab insights, resources, and convenings to stay informed and contribute to advancing modern planning practices across the industry.
What’s next for IRP CoLab?
IRP CoLab’s focus for 2026 will be:

  • Sharing IRP CoLab insights through public engagement, like webinars and conference discussions;
  • Ground-truthing our insights through technical collaboration between our community of planning experts, utilities and other stakeholders;
  • Continuing to help planning practices keep pace with a rapidly changing power system through continued concept, tool and dataset development.
  • As the power system evolves, IRP Colab ensures planning evolves with it, turning emerging challenges into practical approaches planners can implement in near-term IRPs.
WEBINAR: IRP Best Practices Rubric: Prioritize, Articulate, and Empower.

Thursday, April 23rd, 10am PT, 11am MT, 1pm ET

Join GridLab and RMI for the public launch of IRP CoLab, a collaborative platform designed to support the power sector as it adapts to multiple changes in generation and load through consistent, transparent, and forward-looking planning practices.
View Webinar Details
WEBINAR: Exploring emerging themes on coordinated resource planning, planning under uncertainty, and automation and reproducibility in modeling

Wednesday May 13th, 10:00am -11:30am PT, 1:00pm – 2:30pm ET

Join GridLab and RMI for the public launch of IRP CoLab, a collaborative platform designed to support the power sector as it adapts to multiple changes in generation and load through consistent, transparent, and forward-looking planning practices.
View Webinar Details