The commission may direct large investor-owned transmission and distribution utilities to enter into contracts under this subsection only as agents for their customers and only in accordance with this section.__To the greatest extent possible, the commission shall develop procedures having the same legal and financial effect as the procedures used for standard-offer service pursuant to section 3212 for large investor-owned transmission and distribution utilities.

The commission may enter into contracts for interruptible, demand response or energy efficiency capacity resources.

Capacity resources contracted under this subsection may not exceed the amount necessary to ensure the reliability of the electric grid of this State or to lower customer costs as determined by the commission pursuant to rules adopted under subsection 10.

Unless the commission determines the public interest requires otherwise, a capacity resource may not be contracted under this subsection unless the commission determines that the capacity resource is recognized as a capacity resource for purposes of any regional or federal capacity requirements.

4.__Priority of capacity resources.__In selecting capacity resources for contracting pursuant to subsection 3, the commission shall apply the following standards.

A.__The commission shall select capacity resources that are competitive and the lowest price when compared to other available offers for capacity resources of the same or similar contract duration.__The commission shall consider the cost of the capacity and the cost of related energy. The commission shall, by rules adopted pursuant to subsection 10, establish a methodology for calculating and considering the cost of related energy for capacity-only offers.

B. Among capacity resources meeting the standard in paragraph A, the commission shall choose among capacity resources in the following order of priority:

(1) New interruptible, demand response or energy efficiency capacity resources located in this State;

(2)__New renewable capacity resources located in this State;