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MASSPOWER gets reprieve

Journal Article · · Independent Energy; (USA)
OSTI ID:6287572

A bid by MASSPOWER has been reinstated as a competitor in Western Massachusetts Electric Co.'s (WMECo) Oct. 1988 RFP for 54 MW. MASSPOWER's bid consists of a proposal to develop, construct, own and operate a 225 MW gas-fired cogeneration facility, with power being sold to Boston Edison Co., Commonwealth Electric, the Massachusetts Wholesale Electric Co. as well as 54 MW to WMECo. The utility argued that MASSPOWER's offer for fixed pricing components in dollars/kWh per month conflicted with the section of the RFP stating QFs must agree to be paid on a dollar per kWh basis. Also, the utility argued, the bid's reliance upon the average fossil fuel costs index of the New England Power Pool for determining variable energy costs was inconsistent with thee RFP, which requires the proposal to bear a reasonable relationship to the utility's avoided costs. The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities rejected WMECo's arguments, determining that the bid's method of determining variable price does bear a reasonable relationship to WMECo's fuel prices, and that the RFP carries no explicit prohibition of the bid's dollar/kWh per month price format. The paper discusses possible impacts this decision will have on the bidding process and describes several approaches to competitive bidding being used elsewhere.

OSTI ID:
6287572
Journal Information:
Independent Energy; (USA), Journal Name: Independent Energy; (USA) Vol. 20:4; ISSN 1043-7320; ISSN XY987
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English