25-0089 Consulting Services for Thermal Generation

New Braunfels Utilities (NBU) is seeking proposals from qualified and experienced consulting and management firms specializing in the development, evaluation, financial review, contract review and analysis of thermal energy generation opportunities. The successful respondent will assist NBU in drafting a Request for Proposals (RFP) for electrical energy generated from thermal energy resources located within the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) Transmission System, provide complete evaluation of responses to the RFP, and advise on recommended terms for negotiation.

The scope includes assessing various thermal energy contract options, including Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), tolling agreements, self-build projects, and lease-to-own arrangements to determine the best fit for NBU's operational and financial needs. NBU's electric system serves approximately 59,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers across a service area of approximately 160 square miles. The system includes 619 miles of overhead distribution line, 285 miles of underground distribution line, and eleven substation/metering points on the transmission system. NBU owns approximately 19.5 circuit miles of 138kV transmission circuits as part of ERCOT and currently has no self-owned generation but maintains several PPAs for renewable energy resources.

Key dates include a Questions and Answers deadline of June 17, 2025 at 9:00 PM CDT and a proposal submission deadline of July 1, 2025 at 3:00 PM CDT. NBU's annual peak load is 372 Megawatts with two large transmission-level customers each peaking at 40MW. The city has experienced 3-5% annual load growth and has ranked among the top ten fastest growing cities nationally for the past decade. NBU acquires power supply from various suppliers in the ERCOT electricity market and seeks to position its power supply portfolio to encompass diversification from various counterparties, contract durations, and load shapes to procure reliable, low-cost power with reduced price volatility.