Platte River Power Authority (Platte River) is hoping to maintain reliability with its latest all-dispatchable resources request for proposals (RFP) issued Thursday.
The wholesale electricity provider for Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont and Loveland, issued the RFP in hopes of helping firm its increasingly renewable energy portfolio.
The RFP calls for up to 200 megawatts (MW) of dispatchable resources to help maintain reliability as the utility continues to work toward the Resource Diversification Policy. The policy, adopted by Platte River’s board of directors in 2018, directs Platte River’s CEO to proactively work toward a 100 per cent noncarbon energy mix while maintaining the organization’s foundational pillars of reliability, environmental responsibility and financial sustainability.
“We need to proactively manage the intermittency of renewables as we continue to diversify our portfolio and prepare for a future without dispatchable coal resources,” says Jason Frisbie, general manager and CEO of Platte River. “This RFP allows us to identify innovative tools and technologies that support the transition while maintaining our foundational pillars.”
Since 2018, Platte River has issued only all-renewable RFPs to accelerate the decarbonization of their energy portfolio as they prepare for coal facility retirements. From these requests, the utility expects to add another 150 megawatts (MW) of solar energy, up to 250 MW of additional wind energy, and are close to finalizing negotiations for an additional 150 MW of solar and storage.
“We are actively replacing coal generation with wind and solar resources as we continue to transition our energy portfolio,” says Raj Singam Setti, chief operating officer of innovation and sustainable resource integration. “Our strategy emphasizes not only the expansion of intermittent renewable resources but also the importance of firming these resources with reliable, flexible, efficient and quick-start dispatchable power, to ensure a balanced and sustainable energy future," says Raj Singam Setti, chief operating officer of innovation and sustainable resource integration for Platte River.
In October 2023, Platte River’s board approved a resolution to proactively develop the dispatchable capacity necessary to protect system reliability and financial sustainability as the utility continues to pursue a 100% noncarbon energy mix.
Dispatchable resources play a vital role in sustaining grid stability and reliability by adjusting power output in real-time to match fluctuations in availability of renewables and electricity demand. The RFP requires that the dispatchable resources selected must be able to perform and function at full capacity within 30 minutes.
Platte River requires a bid proposal response by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. The RFP, supporting documents and submission requirements are posted to Platte River’s RFP webpage at prpa.org/RFPs.
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