PGE has issued a 2023 All-Source Request for Proposal – an important step in helping us acquire new clean energy resources and decarbonize Oregon’s power supply. The right mix of energy resources in the right locations can lower energy costs for our communities and ensure reliable power for customers.
Through this RFP, we are looking to procure renewable energy and non-emitting dispatchable resources to meet identified 2026 capacity and energy needs.
Please visit this page for relevant notices, common questions and their answers, documents related to the RFP process and to learn how to bid into the RFP.
Read more: PGE issues 2023 All-Source Request for Proposal: Five Things to Know
To achieve our 2030 emissions reduction target while maintaining reliability, PGE plans to add a significant amount of clean energy resources to our portfolio. Brett Greene, Senior Director of Resource Acquisition, shares the types of resources PGE is pursuing and the role they play in our 2023 Clean Energy & Integrated Resource Plan. Learn more at portlandgeneral.com/resourceplanning.
Included below are PGE’s draft documents for the 2023 All-Source RFP as filed May 19, 2023 with the OPUC.
2023 All-Source RFP draft documents
2023 All-Source RFP Main Document
Bid Form Draft - This is the final bid form from the 2021 RFP. The 2023 bid form will likely be similar, but please do not use this file for 2023 RFP purposes.
ELCC Calculator
RFP Schedule
TBD
Note: The RFP schedule is briefly paused.
Please send all 2023 RFP related comments or questions to rfp@pgn.com with the Independent Evaluator copied at frank.mossburg@bateswhite.com. The Q&A will be posted anonymously below.
Do you have a redline of Exhibit M (Tech Specs) or a summary of key changes from the 2021 RFP to the 2023 RFP that can be shared with bidders?
We do not have a redline of Exhibit M (tech specs).
All technology tech specs were completely overhauled from both a substance and format perspective.
Here is a high level summary of key changes for each technical specification between the 2021 RFP to 2023 RFP.
Wind Facilities:
For 2023, the technical specifications for wind facilities were revised based on best practices developed from past RFP's, utility owned projects, and industry input. The specifications are based on a generic wind farm and cover balance-of-plant engineering, procurement, and construction scope activities for geotechnical services, civil works, wind turbine foundations, collection system, substation, gen-tie line, meteorological towers, operations and maintenance facilities, wind turbine erection, and general services. The document was streamlined from 2021 to aid in the review of the specifications while focusing on the key requirements for a wind facility.
In 2021, the technical specifications for a wind facility were broken up by the following classifications: M1-01 General, M1-02 Civil, M1-03 Mechanical, M1-04 Electrical, M1-05 Substation and Transmission, and M2 Wind. For 2023, any of the wind specific general, civil, mechanical, electrical, substation and transmission, and wind requirements were consolidated into one wind plant specification. During the consolidation, requirements were reviewed for their continued applicability, current utility requirements, and industry best practice. In addition, certain categories of requirements that spanned across all projects regardless of technology were kept as stand-alone specifications. These are the Engineering Documents, Drawings & Other Deliverables; Security and Compliance; PGE CAD and Numbering Standards; General Transformer Specification; and Communication, SCADA and Metering Facilities specifications. These five documents together with the Wind Plant Specifications make up the entirety of the technical specifications that apply to utility owned wind facilities.
Solar PV Facilities:
For 2023, the technical specifications for solar facilities were revised based on best practices developed from past RFP's, utility owned projects, and industry input. The specifications are based on a generic ground-mounted solar PV project and cover balance-of-system engineering, procurement, and construction scope activities for geotechnical services, civil works, foundations, collection system, substation, gen-tie line, weather stations, operations and maintenance facilities, permits, and site commissioning/turnover. The document was streamlined from 2021 to aid in the review of the specifications and focusing on the key requirements for a solar PV facility. In 2021, the technical specifications for a solar facility were broken up by the following classifications: M1-01 General, M1-02 Civil, M1-03 Mechanical, M1-04 Electrical, M1-05 Substation and Transmission, and M3 Solar. For 2023, any of the solar PV specific general, civil, mechanical, electrical, substation and transmission, and solar PV requirements were consolidated into one specification. During the consolidation, requirements were reviewed for their continued applicability, current utility requirements, and industry best practice. In addition, certain categories of requirements that spanned across all projects regardless of technology were kept as stand-alone specifications. These are the Engineering Documents, Drawings & Other Deliverables; Security and Compliance; PGE CAD and Numbering Standards; General Transformer Specification; and Communication, SCADA and Metering Facilities specifications. These five documents together with the Solar PV Plant Specifications make up the entirety of the technical specifications that apply to utility owned solar facilities.
Battery Energy Storage (BES) Facilities:
In 2021, the technical specifications for a BES facility were broken up by the following classifications: M1-01 General, M1-02 Civil, M1-03 Mechanical, M1-04 Electrical, M1-05 Substation and Transmission, and M4 Energy Storage.
For 2023, the technical specifications for battery energy storage facilities were revised based on best practices developed from past RFP's, utility owned projects, and industry input. Redundancies, commonalities, and aspects that did not apply between the Energy Storage specification in M4 and the other specifications from 2021 were identified and removed wherever possible to streamline the overall structure of the document. During the consolidation, requirements were reviewed for their continued applicability, current utility requirements, and industry best practice. In addition, certain categories of requirements that spanned across all projects regardless of technology and not already part of the Energy Storage specification were kept as stand-alone documents. These are the Engineering Documents, Drawings & Other Deliverables; Project Management and Controls; Security and Compliance; PGE CAD and Numbering Standards; General Civil Requirements; General Electrical Study Requirements; General Transformer Specification; Substation Design and Construction Specification; and Communication, SCADA and Metering Facilities Specifications. These nine documents together with the BES Specification make up the entirety of the technical specifications that apply to utility owned BES facilities.
Can the RFP Team describe how they plan to evaluate solar ownership bids from benchmark/affiliate and 3rd parties?
All solar ownership bids will be evaluated as traditional ownership (i.e., rate base) without normalization effects within the 2023 RFP.
Exactly what date will the “final shortlist” be determined?
In appendix N, Exhibit A it states that state permits (e.g., site certificate) are required by “final shortlist”. However, the RFP Schedule on page 6 of the 2023 All Source RFP-Draft does not specifically say the words “final shortlist” so no date is included there related to that milestone.
The intent is that permitting documentation noted as required by “final shortlist” will be due by the acknowledged final shortlist. We do not have a specific date for when that would be yet, but it would likely be in Q1 2024.
Will PGE’s RFP team evaluate off system storage as grid-charging capable and include incremental transmission costs related to such charging?
Yes, if a project proposes a co-located resource with battery storage, and there are no barriers from a technical/engineering or a commercial perspective to grid-charging the battery, the RFP team will evaluate the storage as grid-charging capable. There will be incremental transmission costs related to such charging.
Given the procedural delay of one month to UM 2274 and the chance for the OPUC to make substantive changes to the approved RFP through those steps, will the benchmark and third-party bid due date be extended by an equivalent duration?
PGE will be updating the 2023 RFP solicitation schedule as a result of the regulatory schedule changes. PGE fully expects that both the Benchmark and third-party bid due dates will change, and hopes to share this revised schedule in the next few weeks.
With the recent announcement from BPA regarding funding $2 billion in transmission upgrades, how will that be considered in the RFP design?
This announcement makes a public commitment to complete some important transmission upgrades that allow conditional firm service to bridge into long term firm service. Please clarify if this announcement impacts PGEs proposed RFP transmission requirements and will no longer disqualify any projects relying on those upgrades.
The announcement by BPA that they will examine acceleration of key regional transmission projects - while a welcome step to enable decarbonization in the region - does not impact PGE's proposed RFP transmission requirements. As BPA notes in their press release, the projects are subject to environmental review and additional process, and PGE notes that the timing of key projects such as the Ross-Rivergate Rebuild, Big Eddy to Chemawa Rebuild, and Chehalis-Cowlitz Tap rebuild are likely outside of the action plan window (with late 2027 as a best-case scenario). PGE continues to encourage projects that are uniquely situated and likely to be able to meet the CODs identified in this RFP to submit a narrative on their specific transmission situation for review.
For projects that propose reaching commercial operations in the Summer of a calendar year, will the RFP team evaluate costs and benefits of partial years or just full years following COD?
PGE's RFP Team will evaluate the cost and benefits of all project years as full years following COD.
Will PGE consider bids from bidders whose projects have not yet completed a System Impact Study or Facilities Study? Is the Facilities Study required for a bid to be considered for the final shortlist?
In the draft RFP documents, PGE requires that bids have a Facility Study Agreement to be considered for the final shortlist. If a bid is unable to satisfy this requirement then the bidder is invited to provide a narrative describing how the project will secure a Facilties Study to support the project's COD.