New_Clean_Power_Tool_1.2.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 31 KB Posted
- Opportunity number
- RUS-ARC-2026
About this file
This file is a user guidance document and Excel-based calculation tool for applicants to the USDA Rural Utilities Service Affordable Rural Cooperative (ARC) Energy Program. The New Clean Power Tool is designed to calculate eligible project benefits and costs for both generation projects (nuclear construction, nuclear power purchase agreements, and nuclear asset acquisition) and transmission-only system improvements. All applicants must use calendar year 2025 as the baseline year for calculations, with all projects required to be completed well in advance of the September 30, 2031 deadline. The tool requires applicants to input yellow-highlighted cells with accurate figures including average annual megawatt-hours (MWh), project term or useful life (capped at 35 years maximum), loan funds requested, and grant funds requested, then calculates aggregate lifetime estimated generation, lifetime loss reduction, and cost per MWh efficiency metrics.
The guidance document establishes critical parameters for benefit calculations: applicants must use the shorter of either the power purchase agreement term or useful life, incorporate at least one full continuous year of actual data for baseline estimates, and avoid double-counting benefits across multiple project categories or joint ownership arrangements. For transmission projects, applicants may claim credit for assumed loss reduction compared to reasonable alternatives only when implementing more efficient improvements to accommodate system growth. For generation projects, only capacity additions to the applicant's system qualify for MWh benefit claims. The tool notes that RUS may request documentation of modeling systems and software used and reserves the right to request alternative calculation methodologies, though adoption of alternatives is at the agency's discretion and may increase processing time. Applicants should contact their General Field Representative with questions about submission and are expected to complete the Assumptions section to explain any deviations from standard methodologies or baseline year actual data.
New Clean Power Tool
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Other files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| PKG00294427.pdf | ||
| Sample_Letter_of_Interest_ARC.pdf | ||
| ARC_Program_Guide_LOI_Stage.pdf | ||
| ARC_Form_SF_424_Questions.pdf | ||
| ARC_NOFO.pdf |
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Text version
Welcome
| UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE |
| RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE (RUS) - ELECTRIC PROGRAM |
| Welcome to the New Clean Power Tool |
| This tool is used for both ARC generation projects and ARC transmission-only portfolios. The guidance provided here is broken down into general, transmission, and generation. All applicants are expected to read through the General notes. Those who are only seeking transmission system improvements should read through the Transmission notes. Those seeking funding for nuclear construction, the purchase of nuclear power, and improvements to transmission systems associated with their nuclear projects should read through the Generation notes as well as Transmission notes. |
General
| 1 | All input cells are formatted in yellow. Please read through notes on each input to ensure the use of the correct figures. Only relevant fields need be completed. | |
| 2 | If you have questions, on submitting your application, please reach out to your General Field Representative. https://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/electric-gfr | |
| 3 | The baseline year for calculations is calendar year 2025. | |
| 4 | For the Term/Useful Life, the shorter of the two should be used. PPAs are limited to the term of the agreement (including any auxiliary arrangements needed to deliver the project) and all projects are limited to 35 years max. If projects with multiple terms are being submitted, the weighted useful life/term should be used. This can be calculated using the following formula: | |
| 1. Multiply each asset’s cost by its useful life. | ||
| 2. Add all those products together. | ||
| 3. Divide that total by the sum of all assets. |
| 5 | All funds requested under the ARC program must be included in this tool. |
| 6 | Projects outside of the scope presented in the applicant's ARC portfolio cannot be counted towards the benefits. This includes assumed reduction in loss and increases in generation capacity. If a project only encompasses a portion of a series of actions, only that portion of the action may be included. For example, if an agreement contains energy purchases from multiple sources, only eligible sources may be included. This applies to joint ownership arrangements as well. Only the portion attributed to the applicant may be claimed as a benefit. Applicants that are using contractual arrangements outside of purchasing the entire generation capacity of a plant should include details in the "Assumptions" section. |
| 7 | RUS may request information on the systems and modeling software used to estimate the figures provided by the applicant. Estimates should be based on at least a full continuous year of data and incorporate assumptions relevant to the applicant's system. RUS expects baseline years to be based on actual data. Applicants should explain if this is not accurate in the "Assumptions" section. |
| 8 | All projects submitted under the ARC program must be completed well in advance of September 30, 2031 to allow for the processing and full disbursement of funds. Applicants may incorporate all eligible projects that are seeking funding under ARC and can be fully advanced by September 30, 2031 in this tool. The New Clean Power Tool assumes that all anticipated adjustments to the applicant's system, including adjustments to load and projects submitted under ARC, are completed immediately after the baseline year of 2025 regardless of the actual construction schedule. |
| 9 | For annual estimates, every full year within the project term must be included in the estimates. If an agreement is set for a stepped increase, the lower intervals must be used unless they are outside the term to be funded. Annual values start either upon commissioning of the system, completion of the project, or upon receiving power through the agreement. Annual assumptions are based on a project's full year of benefits. Applicants may request to omit partial years from the annual average. Leading and trailing null values do not need to be incorporated into the average even if completion of the entire portfolio is to be completed in waves. |
| 10 | Generation applicants may submit requests for transmission system improvements associated with their project. These will be incorporated into the proposal as an estimated reduction in system loss. Transmission-only applications cannot claim credit for any generation in their portfolio. |
Transmission
| 1 | In situations where you are anticipating system growth and proposing the use of more efficient system improvements as opposed to cheaper improvements with larger losses, you may take credit for assumed loss reduction when compared to reasonable alternatives. System growth should be accounted for in your modeling to show that you have included assumptions based on build out of the system in addition to replacements. |
| 2 | System size, system loss, and system growth are all in terms of MWhs over the course of a full year. Baseline values should be based on actual 2025 values. Alternatives must be explained in the assumptions and may require further review. For future estimated values, applicants should encompass the completion of all ARC projects within their projection. Projects must be completed well in advance of September 30, 2031. |
| 3 | If after using the New Clean Power Tool you believe that the tool mistates your proposed MWh benefits, you may submit an alternate method of calculation which will be considered by the agency. Adoption of an alternate methodology is at the discretion of the Agency. Please note that use of alternative methods may increase the processing time of your request. |
| Generation | |
| 1 | To avoid double counting, if your project includes both the acquisition of an asset and improvements to the asset, only include the additional capacity from the asset in one of the fields (acquisition or construction). The Term/Useful Life should reflect the anticipated remaining useful life of the asset with the improvements. This should be noted and explained in the "Assumptions" section. |
| 2 | The "Nuclear Construction" project type includes improvements to existing systems, the increase of capacity at an existing plant, and the construction of new plants. Only capacity added to your system may be considered when claiming MWh benefits. This may include the extension of useful life, reduced curtailment, and increases to the generation capacity of the plant. In cases where improvements or adjustments to an existing plant are being used to justify an increase in MWhs, applicants should include justification in the "Assumptions" section. |
| 3 | "Nuclear Acquisition" refers to the acquisition of physical nuclear assets, not the purchase of energy or other attributes from a nuclear plant. |
| 4 | If after using the New Clean Power Tool you believe that the tool mistates your proposed MWh benefits, you may submit an alternate method of calculation which will be considered by the agency. Adoption of an alternate methodology is at the discretion of the Agency. Please note that use of alternative methods may increase the processing time of your request. |
Calculator
| UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE |
| RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE (RUS) - ELECTRIC PROGRAM |
ELIGIBLE ENTITY LEGAL NAME:
PROJECT NAME(S):
DATE:
Generation
| Project Type | Average Annual MWh | Term/Useful Life (years) | Loan Funds Requested | Grant Funds Requested | Estimated BA |
| Nuclear Construction | $ - 0 | ||||
| Nuclear PPA | $ - 0 | ||||
| Nuclear Acquisition | $ - 0 |
| Total Generation | 0 | $ - 0 | $ - 0 | $ - 0 | ||||
| Transmission | ||||||||
| Assuming the improvements were completed immediately following the baseline year | 2025 without improvements | |||||||
| Estimated Annual Loss Reduction (MWh) | Baseline System Loss (MWh) | Baseline System Size (MWh) | New Estimated System Loss (MWh/year) | Estimated Annual System Growth (MWh) | Useful Life (years) | Loan Funds Requested | Grant Funds Requested | Estimated BA |
| $ - 0 |
| Aggregate | |
| Lifetime Estimated Generation (MWh) | - 0 |
| Lifetime Estimated Loss Reduction (MWh) | - 0 |
| Estimated BA | $ - 0 |
Lifetime MWh/$BA ERROR:#DIV/0!
Assumptions
| UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE |
| RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE (RUS) - ELECTRIC PROGRAM |
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