2024 Solar RFP

Duke Energy Carolinas (DEC) and Duke Energy Progress (DEP) issued a comprehensive request for proposals for solar energy projects and solar plus storage systems. The solicitation seeks power purchase agreements (PPAs) for solar-only projects and utility-owned or third-party-owned solar plus storage (SPS) facilities. Bidders can propose renewable power purchase agreements or utility-owned transfer (UOT) arrangements, with the latter allowing Duke Energy to acquire operational assets.

The RFP encompasses two primary project structures: Solar-Only PPA proposals (involving power purchase agreements for solar generation) and Solar Plus Storage (SPS) proposals that integrate battery energy storage systems (BESS) with solar generation. For UOT proposals, bidders may select an Asset Acquisition model or a Build-Own-Transfer model. The solicitation includes detailed technical requirements for both solar and battery storage components, including specific BESS profile specifications, interconnection guidance, and equipment approval processes.

Key dates include a Notice of Intent to Respond (NOIR) deadline of August 5, 2024, and bid submission deadline of September 30, 2024. Pre-bid questions and clarifications were accepted through the registered stakeholder portal. The RFP process included multiple rounds of stakeholder meetings and Q&A sessions documented in the FAQ materials. Comprehensive supporting documentation was provided, including standard interconnection cost estimates, PPA templates (Appendix A1 for Solar-Only and Appendix A2 for SPS), technical guidance documents, EPC agreement forms, and asset transfer procedures.

Evaluation criteria included pricing, technical feasibility, interconnection readiness, developer qualifications, diverse business participation, and project development timeline. Financial security requirements involved letters of credit and performance bonds as specified in Appendices C, D, and E. The procurement process was administered with technical support from CRA International, with pre-solicitation and post-solicitation reports filed documenting the competitive evaluation methodology.