Minneapolis (August 1, 2022) — Today Xcel Energy released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for new electric generation assets to serve customers in its Upper Midwest service area. This request allows a range of project types and sizes that interconnect to transmission or distribution lines. The company is seeking at least 900 megawatts (MW) of electric generation that can provide capacity to reliably meet customer needs over the next several years and help the company reduce carbon emissions by 85% in the region by 2030, as it moves toward its vision of providing 100% carbon-free electricity to customers by 2050.
The company is targeting approximately 300 MW of resources to interconnect at the Sherco 2 Generation Station in Sherburne County, Minnesota and 600 MW of resources elsewhere on the system. This includes proposals seeking to efficiently reuse the grid interconnection rights upon the phased retirement of the Sherco coal plant beginning in 2023.
Eligible resources include solar and solar plus storage hybrid resources that are transmission-interconnected or distribution-interconnected.
Transmission-interconnected projects must be located within the multistate MISO Zone 1 area, which includes portions of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Michigan or reuse Xcel Energy’s Sherco 2 interconnection rights.
Distribution-interconnected projects must be physically located within Xcel Energy’s Upper Midwest retail service territory, which includes portions of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Michigan. The interconnecting distribution system feeder and substation must be wholly owned by Xcel Energy.
The company is open to several contract types, including power purchase agreements (PPAs), build-transfer (Purchase and Sale Agreements) and company self-build proposals.
Early details about the RFP were made available in a public informational filing made with the Minnesota PUC on July 20, 2022 and a full set of RFP documentation is now posted to the Company’s website. We encourage respondents to review the RFP information carefully to ensure your project proposal complies with the requirements.
Interested parties may email any questions to NSP2022RFP@xcelenergy.com. More information about the RFP, including a detailed schedule and responses to all submitted questions will be periodically posted for all interested bidders at www.xcelenergy.com/NSP2022RFP.
# # #
About Xcel Energy
Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company is an industry leader in responsibly reducing carbon emissions and producing and delivering clean energy solutions from a variety of renewable sources at competitive prices. For more information, visit xcelenergy.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.