The New York Power Authority (NYPA) has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the development of offshore wind power projects in the New York state waters of Lake Erie and/or Lake Ontario, representing the first wind power initiative in the Great Lakes and the first offshore freshwater wind power development in the U.S.
The RFP is for the development of a utility-scale, offshore wind project in the range of 120 MW to 500 MW. Respondents have been asked to include all project costs in their bids. The project would interconnect with new or existing transmission facilities of the appropriate regional electric utilities, which are all controlled by the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO). The NYPA would purchase the full output of the project under a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA).
Respondents may propose projects located anywhere in the New York state waters of Lake Erie and/or Lake Ontario (subject to certain restrictions, such as shipping lanes and avian exclusions) that interconnect at any point on the NYISO transmission system that can receive the project's energy output. Respondents should demonstrate the capability to develop, design, finance, construct, operate and maintain an offshore wind project.
The deadline for submitting an optional notice of intent is March 20, 2010. The deadline for proposals is June 1, 2010, and the target date for completion of the PPA negotiations is May 31, 2011. For more information on the RFP, visit www.nypa.gov.
SOURCE: New York Power Authority
