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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Bidding expands to public power

Journal Article · · Independent Energy; (United States)
OSTI ID:5487635

Rural electric cooperatives and other public power entities may well enter the bidding arena this year. In September 1989, Jack Van Mark, acting administrator for the Rural Electrification Administration, issued a memorandum advising co-ops that they must consider all alternatives when they are seeking financing for new capacity. The memorandum specifically calls on the co-ops to prepare formal RFPs and solicit, on a national basis where significant capacity is required, proposals from QFs. The trend toward the use of competitive bidding by investor-owned utilities to award power purchase contracts is expected to continue strongly this year. In 1989, 17 utilities issued requests for proposals (RFPs) for a total of over 5,000 MW of a capacity. Many in the industry continue to express concerns over the workability of competitive bidding programs, particularly the early ones which tended to reward the lowest bid without respect to project risk and performance factors. Utilities serious about obtaining capacity through bidding are already modifying their a process of open negotiated bids may evolve, in which interested developers can attempt to negotiate a contract based on the merits of individual projects.

OSTI ID:
5487635
Journal Information:
Independent Energy; (United States), Journal Name: Independent Energy; (United States) Vol. 20:2; ISSN XY987; ISSN 1043-7320
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English