Company Issues Request For Proposals (RFP) to
secure 600 to 1,000 MW of Offshore Wind to Power Rhode
Island
PROVIDENCE, R.I., Oct. 14,
2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Rhode Island Energy announced
today that it is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit
an additional 600 to 1,000 MW of offshore wind to help power the
state's energy needs. Adding to the nation's first offshore wind
farm that sits in waters off Block
Island and the proposed Revolution Wind project, this
additional procurement could help meet over 70% of the state's
estimated 2030 electricity demand with carbon-free energy. The new
procurement alone has the potential to power about 700,000 homes
each year.
"We promised that we would lead when it came to helping
Rhode Island meet its clean energy
goals, and achieving this latest milestone is proof of our
commitment," said Dave Bonenberger,
president of Rhode Island Energy. "This procurement is critical to
meeting the state's 100% renewable generation goal by the 2033
target and accelerating growth in the local clean energy
economy."
On Sept. 6, Rhode Island Energy
filed a draft RFP with the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission
(RIPUC), allowing for 30 days of public comment. The final RFP,
which will be available for review at www.ricleanenergyrfp.com,
takes into consideration many of the comments offered by various
stakeholders. As part of the solicitation, required under the
state's Affordable Clean Energy Act, Rhode Island Energy is seeking
bids from potential developers to enter into long-term power
purchase agreements (PPAs) for energy from newly developed offshore
wind projects. Any potential long-term contract durations would be
between 15 and 20 years.
"While this is just the start in securing more of Rhode Island's clean energy future, it is
another significant step forward. I want to thank the Office of
Energy Resources, the Division of Public Utilities and Carriers,
and our valued stakeholders for their engagement in this process,
and our team at Rhode Island Energy for all their work in getting
us here," Bonenberger added.
As outlined in the RFP, responding bids will be received through
Feb. 1, 2023, with any winning
bidder(s) announced in early August
2023. Any PPAs agreed to by Rhode Island Energy will be
subject to review and approval by the RIPUC. The goal would be to
have any winning project(s) operational to support the state's
achievement of its 100% renewable target by 2033.
Rhode Island Energy provides essential energy services to
over 770,000 customers across Rhode
Island through the delivery of electricity or natural gas.
Our team is dedicated to helping Rhode
Island customers and communities thrive, while supporting
the transition to a cleaner energy future. Rhode Island Energy is
part of the PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) family of companies
addressing energy challenges head-on by building smarter, more
resilient and more dynamic power grids and advancing sustainable
energy solutions. For more information visit
www.RIEnergy.com and stay connected on
Twitter, Facebook, and
Instagram.
Note to Editors: Visit our media website at
www.pplnewsroom.com for additional news about Rhode Island Energy
and PPL Corporation.
Contacts:
|
For news media: Ted
Kresse 401.799.7000 TRKresse@rienergy.com
|
|
Rhode Island
Energy
|
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SOURCE Rhode Island Energy