New York Power Authority President and Chief Executive Officer Richard M. Kessel announced December 1 the release of a request for proposals for the development of offshore wind power projects in the New York State waters of Lake Erie and/or Lake Ontario. This would be the first wind power development of any kind in a fresh water body in the United States, the company says.
The Power Authority is soliciting proposals for the development of a utility scale, offshore wind power project in the range of 120 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. The Power Authority would purchase the full output of the project under a long-term Power Purchase Agreement. NYPA offered the following deadlines for the RFP process:
• submission of an optional Notice of Intent to submit a proposal: March 20, 2010.
• questions about the RFP will be accepted until April 9, 2010.
• due date for proposals: June 1, 2010.
• announcement of any winning project(s): by December 2010.
• target date for completion of the PPA negotiations: May 31, 2011.
Prospective developers are requested to periodically check the NYPA Web site (http://www.nypa.gov) to see if there are any modifications to the dates.