Appalachian Power has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking up to 200 megawatts (MW) of solar energy projects in Virginia to reduce customer costs and further diversify its electric generation mix.
Virginia Senate Bill 966, passed in 2018, requires Appalachian Power to construct or acquire solar resources prior to 2028. If the RFP results in suitable projects, the company will seek regulatory approval for them in Virginia and West Virginia.
"We have been seeking to add large-scale solar projects to Appalachian Power's generation portfolio for several years so all customers can benefit from cleaner energy resources," said Chris Beam, the company's president and chief operating officer. "Solar development costs continue to decline, and we are hopeful that this RFP process will result in one or more projects."
Under the RFP, Appalachian Power may buy a single or multiple solar facilities from winning bidders who meet certain economic and operational criteria. Qualifying projects must be operational by Dec. 31, 2021 and qualify for 100% of the Federal Investment Tax Credit.
To qualify for consideration, projects must be located in Virginia, have a minimum project size of 50 MW, and be interconnected to PJM. PJM is the independent regional transmission organization that manages the electric grid in 13 states, including Virginia.
Businesses seeking to submit a proposal can access criteria, required forms, and other specifics online at
www.appalachianpower.com/rfp . Proposals must be submitted by Feb. 7, 2019.
Any solar projects selected by Appalachian Power through the RFP process are conditioned upon and subject to approval by the required regulatory authorities.
Appalachian Power is a leader in renewable energy, producing approximately 1,900 Gigawatt-hours of energy annually from wind- and hydro-power generating facilities.
Appalachian Power has 1 million customers in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee (as AEP Appalachian Power). It is a unit of American Electric Power, one of the largest electric companies in the United States. AEP is focused on building a smarter energy infrastructure and delivering new technologies and custom energy solutions to customers. AEP's more than 18,000 employees operate and maintain the nation's largest electricity transmission system and more than 219,000 miles of distribution lines to efficiently deliver safe, reliable power to nearly 5.4 million regulated customers in 11 states. AEP also is one of the nation's largest electricity producers with approximately 32,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including 4,340 megawatts of renewable energy.
MEDIA CONTACT:
John Shepelwich
(540) 985-2968
jeshepelwich@aep.com
