Arizona utilities TEP and Unisource launch 825MW ‘firm capacity’ RFP including storage
Arizona utilities seeking 825MW of storage and demand response
Arizona utilities Tucson Electric Power (TEP) and UniSource Energy have launched a request for proposals (RFP) for 825MW of ‘firm power’, primarily energy storage, alongside 625MW of renewables.
The pair have launched a joint all-source request for proposals (ASRFP) for new power generation facilities and energy storage systems, for up to 625MW of renewable power capacity and up to 825MW of “firm capacity”.
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The utilities are both based in the US state of Arizona, and their request will be open until 8 March 2024, with proposed projects required to begin operation between 1 May 2026 and 1 May 2027. The renewable capacity component of the request is open to new solar and wind projects, alongside “new energy efficiency initiatives, including demand response programs,” according to the companies.
They said the 825MW of firm capacity means resources that can be called on at any time, and that could be energy storage or demand response programmes that provide incentives for customers to reduce energy usage at specific times.
The storage component is looking for 4-hour storage systems, designed for use in the summer to provide electricity during months of high demand. Last summer, Arizona posted a record electricity demand of 8.1GW amid a heatwave on 15 July, and the state’s utilities are keen to reinforce its energy grid to ensure its citizens have access to electricity this summer.
“We’re looking for opportunities to add reliable, cost-effective resources to satisfy the growing energy needs in communities we serve,” said Susan Gray, president and CEO of Fortis, a Canadian-headquartered firm that owns the UNS Energy Corporation, the parent company of both Arizona utilities.
See the original version of this article on PV Tech.
Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: hydropower
Hydropower — electricity generated by turbines capturing energy from moving water — was for many years the primary contributor of renewable energy to the U.S. electricity grid. Its growth was rapid into the 1970s, and since then has offered a stable supply of power, while a declining share of all generation. For many years, hydropower was seen as clean energy and an unalloyed good, but a greater understanding of the impact of dams on ecosystems and wildlife has led to the removal of some dams. As of 2019, hydropower trails wind as a renewable source of power generation.