The USA’s Georgia Power recently announced combined Requests for Proposals (RFP) for nearly 500 megawatts of utility-scale solar generation.
The RFP includes 70 MW to complete the Georgia Power Advanced Solar Initiative (GPASI) portfolio and 425 MW approved as part of the company’s 2013 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP).
Last year Georgia Power’s GPASI program was approved and is designed to not put upward pressure electricity prices. As part of the company’s IRP, the Georgia Public Service Commission also approved an additional 525 MW of solar energy earlier this year; also with the stipulation it does not drive up the cost of electricity.
It appears the company’s solar splurge may not have been voluntary. According to PV magazine, the Atlanta-based Georgia Public Service Commission accepted a motion in July to force the utility to include the additional 525MW.
The RFP will be conducted with oversight by the Accion Group, Inc., which is serving as the Independent Evaluator for the process. The company will accept comments on the draft RFP documents up until January 31, 2014 and will host a RFP bidders conference at the company’s Atlanta headquarters on Jan. 13, 2014.
Georgia Power services over 2.3 million residential and commercial customers. At the end of 2012, its electricity generation portfolio was dominated by coal (39%), followed by oil and gas (33%) and nuclear (27%). At the end of last year, the company had nearly 18GW of generation capacity.
While Georgia Power is somewhat a latecomer to the solar scene, it does offer a feed in tariff for solar customers; paying 17c per kilowatt hour.
However, the company also recently attempted to whack new charges on solar households, but dropped its proposal after experiencing significant backlash.
Although Georgia Power would seem to be a somewhat unwilling participant in the solar revolution; the addition of 525MW will go a long way to helping green the state’s electricity sector.
