All distribution borrowers must maintain a current CWP approved by their board of directors covering all new construction, improvements, replacements, and retirements of distribution and transmission plant, and improvements replacements, and retirements of any generation plant. Construction of new generation capacity need not be included in a CWP but must be specified and supported by specific engineering and cost studies. (See § 1710.253.)

A distribution borrower's CWP shall cover a construction period of between 2 and 4 years, and include all facilities to be constructed which are eligible for RUS financing, whether or not RUS financial assistance will be sought or be available for certain facilities. Any RUS financing provided for the facilities will be limited to a 4 year loan period. The construction period covered by a CWP in support of a loan application shall not be shorter than the loan period requested for financing of the facilities.

The facilities, equipment and other items included in a distribution borrower's CWP may include:

Line extensions required to connect consumers, improve service reliability or improve voltage conditions;

Distribution tie lines to improve reliability of service and voltage regulation;

Line conversions and changes required to improve existing services or provide additional capacity for new consumers;

New substation facilities or additions to existing substations;

Transmission and substation facilities required to support the distribution system;

Distribution equipment required to serve new consumers or to provide adequate and dependable service to existing consumers, including replacement of existing plant facilities;

Residential security lights;

Communications equipment and meters;

Headquarters facilities;

Improvements, replacements, and retirements of generation facilities;

Load management equipment, automatic sectionalizing facilities, and centralized System Control and Data Acquisition equipment. Load management equipment eligible for financing, including the related costs of installation, is limited to capital equipment designed to influence the time and manner of consumer use of electricity, which includes peak clipping and load shifting. To be eligible for financing, such equipment must be owned by the borrower, although it may be located inside or outside a consumer's premises; and

The cost of engineering, architectural, environmental and other studies and plans needed to support the construction of facilities, when such cost is capitalized as part of the cost of the facilities.