1803 Electric Cooperative, Inc. 2023 Request for Proposals for Long-Term Capacity and Energy Resources

1803 Electric Cooperative seeks to procure long-term capacity and energy resources through a competitive request for proposals. This RFP solicits proposals for peaking designated generation resources, energy storage resources, capacity-only products, and other resource types to meet the cooperative's capacity forecast needs. Bidders must comply with MISO market requirements, including obtaining Network Resource Interconnection Service (NRIS) from MISO sufficient to receive Zone Resource Credits (ZRCs) under applicable MISO rules. Capacity offers must be deliverable at Local Resource Zone 9 (with Zones 8 and 10 also considered), while energy portions are preferred at the 1803 load node or Louisiana Hub. Evaluation will be conducted using separate evaluation forms for each resource type (Appendices B-1 through B-4).

Key deadlines include a Notice of Intent submission deadline of October 27, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. CPT, followed by the proposal submission period from November 1-9, 2023, with a final deadline of November 9, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. CPT. Selected bidders are expected to be notified as early as February 9, 2024, with final power purchase agreements (PPAs) to be executed (subject to Louisiana Public Service Commission approval) as early as March 5, 2024. A technical and bidders' conference was held on July 28, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. Central Time. The RFP bidders' comment and Q&A period ran from June 29, 2023 through September 26, 2023, with continuing substantive Q&A on the final RFP from October 13-27, 2023.

Proposals must include audited financial statements (three years minimum) for credit evaluation purposes. All confidentiality agreements (Appendix C) must be signed and submitted with proposals. Bidders should reference the 1803 Integrated Resource Plan for price assumptions including high/low pricing on capacity, forward power curves, and forward gas curves. Energy storage proposals must include round-trip efficiency and annual battery degradation information, with 0% degradation permissible if capacity is guaranteed through contract life with capacity maintenance included in the monthly toll rate.