Austin Energy has announced it is seeking proposals from companies for the development of local energy resources, including renewable and carbon-free facilities, battery storage, and natural gas generation. The utility aims to acquire up to 400 megawatts of energy capacity to address growing customer needs. One megawatt can supply about 250 residential customers during peak hours in Texas.
The Request for Proposals (RFP) invites offers for various technologies such as solar, wind, energy storage, geothermal, nuclear, hydrogen, fuel cell technology, and natural gas.
“We know for a fact we do not have enough local power generation capacity to meet Austin’s projected growth,” said Stuart Reilly, Austin Energy General Manager. “This RFP is an important early step in executing Austin Energy’s Resource, Generation, and Climate Protection Plan to 2035, obtaining the resources necessary to serve our customers affordably and reliably.”
Projects must be located within the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) service region and specifically within Austin Energy’s retail load zone as defined by ERCOT. Selected projects will need to comply with work site agreements that address worker health and safety protections as well as workforce development goals.
Proposals are required to be submitted via email to EnergySupply@austinenergy.com by the stated deadline. Proposal guidelines are detailed in the RFP document. Questions regarding the process should also be sent by email before December 23; responses will be compiled into a Q&A log distributed to all interested bidders.
After reviewing submissions, Austin Energy will create a shortlist for further evaluation. Shortlisted candidates may be asked for more information or documentation. All selected projects require final approval and spending authorization from the Austin City Council.
