Tucson Electric Power (TEP), which provides electric service to approximately 417,000 customers in southern Arizona, is seeking bids for the design and construction of large, new renewable energy resources.
According to Carmine Tilghman, TEP’s senior director of energy supply and renewable energy, even though the company will “primarily rely on solar energy” to grow its renewables portfolio, it will also consider wind energy.
TEP has issued a request for proposals (RFP) that would enable the company to purchase power from a solar facility with up to 100 MW of capacity under a 20-year agreement. The project would boost TEP’s total community-scale solar energy resources by nearly 40%.
In addition, TEP is evaluating proposals submitted for a new 100 MW wind-powered facility that would be built and owned by a project partner. According to the proposal, TEP would buy power from the new facility for up to 20 years – more than doubling its current wind-powered capacity of about 80 MW.
TEP says it is looking for projects that can tie into the company’s transmission facilities located in the Four Corners region and along the Arizona/New Mexico border from geographic areas with productive wind resources.
The company adds that it is working to deliver at least 30% of its power from renewable resources by 2030 – doubling the state’s 2025 goal. TEP anticipates an additional 800 MW of new renewable capacity by the end of 2030, which would boost its total renewable energy portfolio to approximately 1.2 GW.
Both RFPs are being managed by New Hampshire-based Accion Group.
