In addition to the approved load forecast required under §§ 1710.202 and 1710.203, any power supply borrower with a total utility plant of $500 million or more and any distribution borrower with a total utility plant of $500 million or more must maintain an approved load forecast work plan. RUS borrowers that are members of a power supply borrower with a total utility plant of $500 million or more must cooperate in the preparation of and submittal of the load forecast work plan of their power supply borrower.

An approved load forecast work plan establishes the process for the preparation and maintenance of a comprehensive database for the development of the borrower's load forecast, and load forecast updates. The approved load forecast work plan is intended to develop and maintain a process that will result in load forecasts that will meet the borrowers' own needs and the requirements of this subpart. An approved work plan represents a commitment by a power supply borrower and its members, or by a large unaffiliated distribution borrower, that all parties concerned will prepare their load forecasts in a timely manner pursuant to the approved load forecast work plan and they will modify the approved load forecast work plan as needed with RUS approval to address changing circumstances or enhance the usefulness of the approved load forecast work plan.

An approved load forecast work plan for a power supply borrower and its members must cover all member systems, including those that are not borrowers. However, only members that are borrowers, including the power supply borrower, are required to follow the approved load forecast work plan in preparing their respective load forecasts. Each borrower is individually responsible for forecasting all its RE Act beneficiary and non-RE Act beneficiary loads.

An approved load forecast work plan must outline the coordination and preparation requirements for both the power supply borrower and its members.

An approved load forecast work plan must cover a period of 2 or 3 years depending on the applicable compliance filing schedule elected under § 1710.204.

An approved load forecast work plan must describe the borrower's process and methods to be used in producing the load forecast and maintaining current load forecasts on an ongoing basis.

Approved load forecast work plans for borrowers with residential demand of 50 percent or more of total kWh must provide for a residential consumer survey at least every 5 years to obtain data on appliance and equipment saturation and electricity demand. Any such borrower that is experiencing or anticipates changes in usage patterns shall consider surveys on a more frequent schedule. Power supply borrowers shall coordinate such surveys with their members. Residential consumer surveys may be based on the aggregation of member-based samples or on a system-wide sample, provided that the latter provides for relevant regional breakdowns as appropriate.

Approved load forecast work plans must provide for RUS review of the load forecasts as the load forecast is being developed.

A power supply borrower's work plan must have the concurrence of the majority of the members that are borrowers.

The borrower's board of directors must approve the load forecast work plan.

A borrower may amend its approved load forecast work plan subject to RUS approval. If RUS concludes that the existing approved load forecast work plan will not result in a satisfactory load forecast, RUS may require a new or revised load forecast work plan.