2024-GEN 00047 Published On: 10/10/2024
Question: In reference to question 2024-DOC 00003, can a project bid SPS PPA for a project and a solar-only UOT to meet the solar only requirement or will we be required to bid a solar only PPA? Another way to ask this, is the solar-only offer requirement per project or per project per track?
Answer: The solar-only bid requirement applies per project per track, so no, a Market Participant cannot submit a project as an SPS PPA if no solar-only PPA proposal was offered for the same project.
2024-GEN 00046 (revised 10/03/2024) Published On: 10/03/2024
Question: I wish to clarify the response to a 2024-GEN-2012 regarding coop service territory properties and Duke Transmission lines. The response restated the general point that projects must be in Duke service territory AND connect to a Duke transmission line. The response did not simply state, "No", which implies that there may be ambiguity or overlap in service territories. To clarify:
1) Is there some ambiguity for projects? In other words, if DEP is the service provider in a county which is shown as within DEP service territory, but the detailed site information for the location of the property providing generation shows a coop service territory, but there is direct access to a DEP transmission line, can the project bid and be eligible? Please reply, YES or NO.
2) If the project submits and CRA or Duke determine the project is ineligible due to the service territory, will the project lose the $10,000 deposit?
Answer:
2024-GEN 00045 Published On: 10/01/2024
Question: Are Transmission Provider Interconnection Facilities and Network Upgrades both not reimbursable for the PPA track?
Answer: Cost to directly connect to the existing DEC/DEP transmission system (“Interconnection Facilities”) should be included in the Part A / Part C Price. System Upgrade Costs should be included in the Part B / Part D price. See seciton VI.A of the RFP.
2024-GEN 00044 (revised 09/30/2024) Published On: 09/27/2024
Question: We hope this message finds you safe. As many areas, including those with market participants in the 2024 Solar RFP, are currently experiencing significant power outages due to the recent hurricane, we are writing to inquire whether Duke Energy is considering an extension to the RFP submission deadline. Given that many bidders, who are also Duke Energy customers, are being directly impacted by the storm, we believe it would be prudent to allow additional time to ensure fair participation for all involved.
Answer: After additional time to assess the impact of Hurricane Helene in the Carolinas, Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress, after consultation with CRA, are further extending the deadlines for bid submittal and Interconnection Requests to enable participation in the 2024 RFP and 2024 Resource Solicitation Cluster (“RSC”). All third-party MP-sponsored proposals and applications must be submitted by 11:59am (noon) on Monday, October 7, 2024. We encourage those MPs who are not impacted by Hurricane Helene to submit their applications promptly. Please email the RFP Manager to notify them once you have uploaded all documents for your Proposal(s).
The Companies and CRA will continue to monitor conditions this week, and will provide information on any additional impacts to the RFP schedule resulting from this extension of the bid window in the coming weeks.
2024-GEN 00043 Published On: 09/26/2024
Question: What is the current assumption for the 2024 RFP Solar Reference Cost?
Answer: As stated in the RFP, the Solar Reference Cost is the assumed priced of solar resources in the Companies’ most recently filed 2023 Resource Plan. Footnote 27 describes that the 2023 Resource Plan's Solar Reference Cost is different in each year modeled, and the 2024 RFP will use the cost from model year 2028. Consistent with the RFP, the Companies will share the final Solar Reference Cost prior to the Step 2 bid refresh phase.
2024-GEN 00042 Published On: 09/25/2024
Question: A couple of questions: 1) Can you confirm that the total solar PV inverter capacity (e.g. Row 17 in the UOT SPS bid form) does not need to match the interconnection rating (2 rows below)? The text notes imply that the two should match but the total inverter capacity should actually equal the maximum AC size before clipping, not the AC limit at the POI. 2) Can you confirm that UOT asset transfer bids do not require an 8760 production model? With Duke determining the dc size of the system, any estimates provided by the bidder would be inaccurate. Slide 35 of the 8/12/24 bidders conference states explicitly that only BOT bids should include 8760s but the bid form is not clear. 3) Can you confirm that the 8760 models for PPA bids do not need to adhere to the standards of Exhibit A4? There is no confirmation required in the bid form as there is in UOT responses to imply that they do.
2024-GEN 00041 Published On: 09/25/2024
Question: Could you confirm what Duke considered "major project milestones"?
Answer: As provided for in Section VII.B.1 of the RFP Document, MPs should disclose all major project development milestones, which includes “permits that will have to be obtained, the status of each permit, a timeline for the completion of all permits that relate to the Proposal, site evaluation and studies conducted to date, and a timeline for completing all outstanding studies.”
Note that for UOT proposals, there are also specific Key Milestone Schedule inputs in the UOT Solar-Only bid form (rows 200-222 at 1. Solar-only tab) and in the UOT SPS bid form (rows 173-198 at 1. UOT SPS tab).
2024-GEN 00040 Published On: 09/24/2024
Question: The RFP document states that the "BESS Capacity rating between 35-40% of the Solar MWac (POI) maximum export capacity, sized to the nearest 1 MW increment; (BESS must be a minimum of 35% of the facility’s maximum export capacity)". When we round up our battery capacity to the nearest 1 MW increment, the BESS capacity rating becomes 40.005% of the solar MWac POI maximum export capacity. Is this acceptable for the RFP application for the PPA proposal track?
Answer: Yes, this is acceptable.
2024-GEN 00039 Published On: 09/23/2024
Question: Upon completion of the upload of the whole application package (the Input Bid + Relevant appendices + NDA + RSC Payments), is there anything to do to confirm that the submission upload is completed?
Answer: Please email the RFP Manager to inform them that you have uploaded all documents. The RFP Manager will then send a confirmation of receipt. The RFP Manager contact information is included in the Bid Input Forms.
2024-GEN 00038 Published On: 09/23/2024
Question: Regarding the closing deliverables for the APA, does a desktop summary count for the cultural resource study requirement?
Answer: A desktop cultural resource assessment would only be satisfactory if its results concluded in “no field studies being required” and agency concurrence is provided confirming the same. If the desktop assessment identifies and recommends further field assessments, the additional studies will be required to be completed to satisfy the developer’s scope of selling a fully developed project pursuant to an Asset Transfer proposal and the APA.
2024-GEN 00037 Published On: 09/23/2024
Question: Can a UOT project submit the same project as both a Build Own Transfer AND Utility Self-Developed project? If so, must two forms be filed and two 10,000 deposits be submitted?
Answer: No, third parties can submit UOT track proposals as either Asset Transfer or Build-Own-Transfer but not both. Utility Self-Developed proposals are only an option for Duke Energy-owned and developed projects.
2024-GEN 00036 Published On: 09/23/2024
Question: Can you confirm how you will be evaluating sites pre-shortlisting prior to the start of the Phase 1 RSC for what the scoring rubric describes as "Consideration for target COD date and risk of significant increase in interconnection cost reallocation"?
Answer: This is one of many scoring components for the 2024 RFP projects. During Step 1, prior to the Phase 1 RSC Cluster study, scoring for this component will be based on projected CODs and the bidder’s current interconnection status.
2024-GEN 00035 Published On: 09/20/2024
Question: Does the 2024 RFP have an early winner selection path for projects with serial IAs and no NUs that are deemed to be price competitive?
Answer: No, there will be no Early Winner process for the 2024 RFP.
2024-GEN 00034 Published On: 09/20/2024
Question: If we are unable to submit fees through the interconnection portal, can we use Duke's wiring instructions from the 2023 RFP?
Answer: No, do not use the wiring instructions provided for the 2023 RFP. Use of the Interconnection Portal for payments is strongly encouraged.
The DEP and DEC banking information has been updated. Please request the new wiring instructions from the RFP Manager or through the 'Submit Questions' section of this website.
2024-GEN 00033 Published On: 09/20/2024
Question: Can MPs use a bond to pay the Pre-COD and/or Post-COD Performance Assurance? And does the Post-COD Performance Assurance security decrease over time?
Answer: Surety bonds are not accepted for Pre-COD Performance Assurance. The Companies will review any security for Post-COD Performance assurance and provide feedback to the PPA customer. Post-COD Performance Assurance does decrease over time.
2024-GEN 00032 Published On: 09/19/2024
Question: If a project is shortlisted, it will be required to submit a Proposal Security. The Proposal Security will be released (i) after all Winners have accepted their offers and no additional Finalist will be invited, if the Proposal is not selected as a Finalist; or (ii) if the Proposal is selected as a Finalist, upon completion of the contracting phase of the RFP, including execution of the applicable Asset Acquisition Agreement. Shortlisted projects that are notified as Finalist will have 30 days to execute a LOI. Finalists that execute a LOI will have 5 business days to provide an additional LOI security of 3% of the asset price, which is released upon executing the applicable definitive agreement (i.e. the APA.). Section 11 of the LOI allows for termination by either party at its discretion. Can Duke please clarify that if the LOI were terminated by Duke’s discretion per section 11 of the LOI, that both the full Proposal Security and the additional LOI Security of 3% of the asset purchase price will be returned fully to the seller?
Answer: The Release of the applicable Proposal Security and/or LOI Security will depend on the facts and circumstances giving rise to the termination of the LOI; provided however, if Duke terminates unilaterally and exclusively for its convenience (without cause arising from breach of the terms of the RFP and/or the LOI), the LOI and Proposal Security will be released in the normal course.
2024-GEN 00031 Published On: 09/19/2024
Question: From Duke Energy Business Practice: Studying Storage Interconnection Requests in DEC and DEP: 1. Can a Stand-Alone Storage be co-located with a Solar PV source and share the main GSU, gen-tie and breaker terminal at POI? If not, which interconnection facilities can be shared by the Solar PV and the BESS (if any), while the BESS is a Stand-Alone generating facility? What are the corresponding metering requirements for the PV and the BESS under this co-located configuration? 2. Can the BESS in an SPS facility charge from the PV as well as from the grid? 3. Paragraph 2 of 1.2. states "In the solar plus battery example, the battery is charged when solar generation exceeds the power injected to the grid" - Does this imply that the BESS of an SPS facility can only charge from the co-located PV? If so, then the PV should be sized to more than 140% in response to the 2024 RFP requesting BESS to be 35-40% of PV? 4. In a SPS facility can the PV and BESS share the main GSU, gen-tie and breaker terminal at POI? If not, which interconnection facilities can be shared by the Solar PV and the BESS (if any)? What are the metering requirements for the PV and the BESS? 5. For the 2024 RSC/RFC, can the IC request simultaneous discharge operation of the PV and the BESS?
2024-GEN 00030 Published On: 09/13/2024
Question: Are cash and letter of credit the only options for LOI Security under the UOT track, or would surety bonds be accepted as well?
Answer: Pursuant to Appendix J (form LOI and Term Sheet), acceptable additional security for selected asset acquisition proposals shall be in the form of cash or letter of credit in form and substance reasonably acceptable to DEC/DEP. Surety bonds are not acceptable.
2024-GEN 00029 Published On: 09/13/2024
Question: The form PPA outlines Pre-COD Performance Assurance as 4% of the total projected revenue based on the Part A Price, and Post-COD Performance Assurance as 2% of the total projected revenue based on the Part A Price. Will the total projected revenue take into account the full allowable uncompensated curtailment amounts of 5% for DEC and 10% for DEP, or do these security amounts not contemplate curtailment in the calculation of total projected revenue?
Answer: Curtailment is not included in the calculation; Duke Energy uses the MWhr provided by the bidder.
2024-GEN 00028 Published On: 09/12/2024
Question: As a follow up to FAQ - 2024-GEN 00025, do we need to provide proof of this authorization to execute a PPA or LOI as part of our bid response?
Answer: If the bidder entity in the RFP is not the owner of the project, please submit proof of authorization to execute a PPA or LOI should the project be selected in the RFP.
2024-GEN 00027 Published On: 09/12/2024
Question: Does the interconnection request need to be sized the same as the RFP application project? For example, could we submit a 200 MW project to the Duke interconnection queue but the project submitted to this RFP is 150 MW?
Answer: The Interconnection Request and the RFP bid need to align. The project studied in the Resource Solicitation Cluster must be the same sized project bid into the RFP. For information related to Proposal Size Flexibility, please see DEC DEP 2024 RFP Document, Section G “Proposal Size Flexibility”.
2024-GEN 00026 Published On: 09/11/2024
Question: Can you please add BYD to the Approved Vendor List? Also, is there a reason why CATL was removed from the AVL for the 2024 RFP? Can you please add it back?
Answer: Appendix H (AVL) only applies to Utility Ownership Track (“UOT”) proposals. A thorough and complete review of suggested vendors is not able to be performed prior to the bid submittal deadline. For module manufacturer requests, please provide relevant spec sheets, PAN files and other relevant product information. For storage equipment, please provide all relevant technical and business materials. All UOT proposals must use equipment from the AVL and submit a conforming bid; however, if a bidder wishes to provide a bid price reduction by substituting a non-AVL equipment provider (non-conforming proposal), they can do so using the notes section of the bid form.
Duke Energy has made a public commitment to voluntarily stop specifying CATL batteries by 2027. Duke Energy reserves the right to make changes to the AVL.
2024-GEN 00025 Published On: 09/11/2024
Question: Does the bidder of a project need to be the upstream owner of the project entity?
Answer: No, but the bidder must have the authority to execute a PPA or LOI for the project to be offered in the RFP.
2024-GEN 00024 Published On: 09/11/2024
Question: How will Duke treat projects that either (a) are submitted as non-EC UOT projects and receive EC status after submission or (b) are submitted as EC UOT projects but then lose status between submission and award the following year?
Answer: Bidders are asked to affirm if a project will quality for the Energy Community IRA bonus provision on the UOT bid forms, along with space to provide documentation and evidence. The RFP Evaluation Team will rely upon this information provided by the Bidder. Bidders are able to provide updated information in the Bid Refresh process. Due to the risk that a project’s eligibility for Energy Communities may change year to year where the Energy Community is based upon the unemployment rate qualifications option, the RFP Evaluation Team will not include the Energy Communities adder when evaluating LCOEs, considering the risk that a project may no longer qualify post RFP selection. Should a UOT project qualify for Energy Communities post RFP selection, those increased tax benefits would be passed along to customers.
2024-GEN 00023 Published On: 09/10/2024
Question: Please confirm the preferred cycles for the hybrid systems this year. Last year the scoring sheet offered a bonus for additional cycles that does not appear to be there this year.
Answer: BESS cycle guidance is provided in Appendix Q-1 and the Scoring rubric is provided in Appendix F. The bonus points for exceeding 365 equivalent cycles per year have been removed for the 2024 RFP as compared to the 2023 RFP.
2024-GEN 00022 Published On: 09/10/2024
Question: For the 2024 RFP/RSC bid window, does the SPS submission need to account for 2 (two) separate main power transformers, one for the Solar PV component and one for the BESS component, with AC-coupling at the high-side of those transformers? Or can the AC-coupling take place at the medium voltage, thus allowing for a single main power transformer?
Answer: One main power transformer is acceptable for a solar plus storage facility submission.
2024-GEN 00021 Published On: 09/09/2024
Question: Can you confirm that if a UOT track proposal were to be selected as a Winner that it would need to hold both the Step 2 Proposal Security and the LOI Security until the execution of the applicable Asset Acquisition Agreement? Or would the Proposal Security be released at the time of LOI execution, and just the LOI Security would be held until execution of the Asset Acquisition Agreement?
Answer: For a selected UOT proposal, pursuant to RFP Document Section V.J.3, the Step 2 Proposal Security will be released upon execution of the applicable definitive agreement (i.e the Asset Purchase Agreement (“APA”) or the Build Transfer Agreement (“BTA”)). Additionally, pursuant to RFP Document Section VII.F, market participants are required to provide additional LOI security of 3% of the asset bid price within 5 business days of executing the LOI, which will also be released upon executing the applicable definitive agreement (i.e. APA or BTA).
2024-GEN 00020 Published On: 09/05/2024
Question: Under this RFP, Duke has the right to terminate the PPA under Section 20.1.2, if the System Upgrade Costs in the executable version of the Interconnection Agreement are greater than 125% of the SUC estimate in the RSC Phase I Study results. Does Duke have to exercise this right to terminate the PPA under Section 20.1.2 before the Seller has to make the M4 payment deposit under the RSC process with DEP Transmission?
Answer: No, State projects will have paid M4; the “M4” deposit is due 10 days after receiving the Facilities Study results for the state jurisdictional projects.
This is described in Section 4.4.10.4 of the North Carolina Interconnection Procedures ncip-appr-oct292021-eff-oct112021-searchable.pdf (duke-energy.com) and in Section 5.3.10.4 in the SC Appendix CS.
2024-GEN 00019 Published On: 09/04/2024
Question: As a follow-up to FAQ 2024-GEN-00008, how will Duke ensure that BESS bids are comparable? Much like Duke requires all bidders to use a consistent platform (PVSyst) and even provides modeling parameters for production data, how will Duke verify if BESS performance estimates (losses, auxiliary load, degradation, etc.) provided by bidders in Appendix Q2 consistently complied with the modeling requirements in Appendix Q1?
Answer: Similar to solar only evaluations, SPS bids will be evaluated with tools that are designed for the evaluation of the BESS degradation. Market Participant provided information will be utilized as inputs and all of the proposals will be evaluated with a consistent approach.
2024-GEN 00018 Published On: 09/03/2024
Question: For an SPS bid, the RFP requires a BESS at about 40% capacity of the solar PV. What assumptions about discharge for the BESS and solar PV should we make? For instance, if the BESS is grid charged, will there be operating scenarios in which the PV and BESS will discharge simultaneously? In other words, should our maximum interconnection be the sum of the max PV capacity and the BESS capacity or should we assume the combined discharge will never exceed the PV, since the BESS will be used during low solar hours?
Answer: For the solar plus storage projects, DEC and DEP will use the maximum output of the solar facility for purposes of interconnection study. Using an 80MW solar facility paired with 32 MW of BESS as an example: the solar generating facility’s maximum output at the Point of Interconnection should not exceed 80MW, because in the interconnection study assumptions made by DEC and DEP, the BESS will not discharge when the solar facility is generating at its full capacity. For more information on how DEC and DEP study solar plus storage projects, please see the OATI Oasis posting “Duke Energy Business Practice: Studying Storage Interconnection Requests in DEC and DEP”at Storage_Studies_-_Duke_Energy_Business_Practice_2022-10-26.pdf (oati.com).
2024-GEN 00017 Published On: 08/30/2024
Question: Would a project be able to submit two 75 MW projects (either under the PPA or UOT track) that are located on sites next to each other and targeting the same transmission line?
Answer: Two projects interconnecting on separate transmission lines does not alleviate the requirements of the FERC 1 mile rule, which does not distinguish between the same transmission line or not. Projects owned by the same Interconnection Customer shall be in compliance with the FERC guidelines for the projects to be considered as qualifying facilities. Please also review the 2024 RFP, Section IV.B for additional guidance on PPA proposals. Note also if there are two projects in close proximity to each other, a multi-breaker switching station will likely be needed to connect into the transmission line.
2024-GEN 00016 Published On: 08/22/2024
Question: How is CRA managing confidentiality of project information for bidders that previously were shortlisted but did not either get selected or choose to execute a PPA or LOI for a UOT bid. Duke would have access to things like POIs, landowner information, cost estimates, design and other EPC information as well as a variety of other project information that could be used to create an unfair advantage?
Answer: All information provided by a Market Participant for a Utility Ownership Track Proposal is subject to the confidentiality agreement signed by the parties at the time of bid submittal. Further, for both the 2023 and 2024 RFP processes, the RFP established separation requirements pursuant to which (i) Utility Ownership Team members (which develop Utility-Developed Proposals) will not be involved in or responsible for the economic evaluation of any Proposals (which will be performed by the Independent Evaluator and the Duke Evaluation Team); and (ii) a separate Utility Bid Sub-Team that will solely and exclusively be responsible for any pricing refreshes to any Utility-Developed Proposals or Asset Transfer Proposal after Step 1 (i.e. don’t not have access to any Build-Own-Transfer Proposals).
More information is available in Section V.E of the 2024 RFP.
2024-GEN 00015 Published On: 08/22/2024
Question: Can you confirm that the $1.5M cap on Winners' Fees refers to the total of all Winners' Fees combined and that it is not capping the Winners' Fee per project at $1.5M per project. The most that a Winners' Fee would be for a project would be $1.5M divided and allocated on a pro-rata basis in solar MW among all Winners, correct?
Answer: Correct, the total Winners’ Fee is capped at $1.5 million, see 24 DEC DEP RFP Document, Section VIII Winners' Fee.
2024-GEN 00014 Published On: 08/19/2024
Question: For a UOT SPS proposal, a significant overbuild on day 1/COD will be required to maintain the BESS Performance Guarantees for the first 15 years of asset life without the ability to augment. Please confirm you are asking bidders to overbuild the BOT option to include enough extra batteries to cover degradation over the first 15 years of the asset life. Would Duke be open to a 2-7 year overbuild in conjunction with additional buildable acreage to accommodate additional BESS equipment in order to meet original nameplate capacity?
Answer: Technical requirements for UOT SPS proposals can be found in Appendix Q1. Appendix Q1 provides that “Cell replacement is only allowed at year 15. No other augmentation or replenishments are allowed throughout 15-year project life.” UOT SPS bidders are required to adhere to Appendix Q1, which does not permit cell replacement during the 15-year operating period for the BESS.
2024-GEN 00013 Published On: 08/13/2024
Question: Would Duke be open to a portion of a bigger facility as PPA and remainder as UOT, under a shared or separate POI? The RFP mentions "full output of Facility" under the PPA track, but any clarifications is appreciated here.
Answer: Yes, Duke Energy would consider a bigger facility split into a PPA (maximum output 80MW) and the remainder UOT as long as the POI is separate for each. Each unit requires its own metering and telemetry.
2024-GEN 00012 Published On: 08/07/2024
Question: If a project is located in a cooperative territory and a Duke Energy transmission line crosses the territory and would be used for interconnection, can this project be included in the RFP?
Answer: Facilities must be located in the Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (DEC) or Duke Energy Progress, LLC (DEP) North Carolina or South Carolina service territory and must also physically interconnect with the DEC or DEP transmission system.
2024-GEN 00011 Published On: 08/07/2024
Question: Can you please confirm that Network Upgrade costs should not be included in the proposal price for an Asset Transfer? Additionally, would an Asset Transfer proposal be required to provide Network Upgrade security and hold that cost until closing if selected?
Answer: The proposal price provided by an Asset Transfer project should not include any Network Upgrade costs; new projects bidding into the 2024 RFP and participating in the Resource Solicitation Cluster will not know their Network Upgrades cost at the time the proposal price is due to be submitted. An Asset Transfer proposal would be required to provide M4 security to cover the cost of Network Upgrades once the Facilities Study is complete. The Asset Transfer proposal will also be responsible for executing and maintaining an Interconnection Agreement, including any additional securities that may be required under such Interconnection Agreement, until the Interconnection Agreement is assigned to DEC/DEP at closing of the definitive Asset Purchase Agreement.
Asset Transfer proposal that bids in the 2024 RFP with a fully executed Interconnection Agreement shall be solely responsible for the cost of any interconnection facilities and System Upgrades assigned to it under its Interconnection Agreement and shall bid accordingly as participation in the 2024 RFP will not alter any contractual obligations included in the MP’s executed Interconnection Agreement.
2024-GEN 00010 Published On: 08/02/2024
Question: Is there an updated estimated curtailment schedule that Duke can share based on the prior schedule that was shared in the 2023 RFP?
Answer: The updated File for Annual Solar Curtailment Estimates Due to Excess Energy is now posted here. All solar-only PPAs will be subject to the 5%/10% non-reliability curtailment rights as specified in the PPA. Other possible curtailment events include reliability curtailments for transmission events (these are infrequent and impact resources local to the transmission constraint that are exacerbating the constraint), and reliability curtailments for excess energy (these will presumably grow as more solar is on the system). From the modeling work that supports the Companies’ 2024 Carolinas Resource Plan filed on 1/31/2024 for Portfolio P3 Fall Base, we are providing year over year solar curtailment estimates due to excess energy (as a percent of the total solar generation). Please note that these figures are modeled assumptions and outputs based upon a snapshot in time as of when the modeling was produced and numerous factors can impact the need for curtailment in the future. Resource Solicitation/Procurement participants should review the terms of the applicable solar-only PPA for terms and conditions related to resource curtailment.
2024-GEN 00009 Published On: 07/31/2024
Question: re: 2024 RFP, can Duke provide up to date historical solar curtailment in its sub regions?
Answer: DEC and DEP publicly file quarterly reports with the NCUC providing historical solar curtailment data in Docket Nos. E-2, Sub 1178 Docket Details (ncuc.gov) and E-7, Sub 1175 Docket Details (ncuc.gov). Please note all solar-only PPAs will be subject to the 5%/10% economic curtailment rights as specified in the 2024 RFP PPA.
2024-GEN 00008 Published On: 07/29/2024
Question: In the evaluation of UOT bids for SPS Facilities, will Duke perform its own independent battery modeling to ensure that the requirements of Appendix Q1 and Q2 are met? If so, is there a specific tool that Duke uses for this modeling?
Answer: In the evaluation of SPS UOT bids, the utility’s Evaluation team will use the data provided in forms Appendix Q1 and Appendix Q2 by the Bidder to evaluate the operational profile and degradation of the BESS. No single specific tool or model is utilized for the evaluation.
2024-GEN 00007 Published On: 07/26/2024
Question: Can you confirm the following requirement applies only for UOT track proposals and not for PPA track proposals? "Bidders are expected to provide valid due diligence terms through mid-2028 (July), or longer, with a minimum of 18 months of a construction term and a minimum of 35 years of an operating term commencing at placed in service (if lease agreement);"
Answer: This requirement is listed in Section IV.A of the 2024 RFP, which only applies to UOT proposals.
2024-GEN 00006 Published On: 07/24/2024
Question: Can an MP submit a project under the UOT that does not meet the site control requirements outlined in Section IV.A of the 2024 RFP, provided that the project has a signed interconnection agreement from a previous serial process and the site due diligence term is sufficient to achieve the ISD under the interconnection agreement? I.e., can an MP submit a project that has site control through 2027, if the project COD is 2027?
Answer: Yes, an MP may bid a project into the UOT track that has site control through 2027; however, the proposal will be scored accordingly. Site control requirements are provided in “Section IV Proposal Tracks, A. Utility Ownership Track Proposal” bullet 6 -
"Provide sufficient and satisfactory site control rights for the Facility including delivery to the Point of Interconnection (POI) to develop and construct the proposed Facility within the timeframe laid out in the RFP. Bidders are expected to provide valid due diligence terms through mid-2028 (July), or longer, with a minimum of 18 months of a construction term and a minimum of 35 years of an operating term commencing at placed in service (if lease agreement);”.
There are other factors beyond just a fully executed interconnection agreement that may impact a project’s construction lead time, such as equipment availability, construction subcontractor availability, outage coordination, etc. As such, all UOT projects will be scored in accordance with the requirements provided.
2024-GEN 00005 Published On: 07/17/2024
Question: Is the maximum size project allowed to bid into this RFP 80 MWac? Will projects larger than 80 MW not be allowed?
Answer: For a power purchase agreement (PPA) track project, the maximum size is up to and including 80 MWac (based on the interconnection request) in both DEC and DEP. However, projects bidding into the Utility Ownership Track (UOT) of the RFP can be larger than 80 MWac (and any project greater than 80 MWac would be submitting their interconnection request as a FERC jurisdictional project).
2024-GEN 00004 Published On: 07/16/2024
Question: I’m trying to understand whether bat studies are required prior to RFP submission or only if the project is selected in the [2024] RFP. The RFP requirements and FAQ GEN 00070 on https://www.dukeenergyrfpcarolinas.com/FAQ/General contradict each other. Thanks in advance for clarifying. From the tariff: UTILITY OWNERSHIP TRACK PROPOSALS In addition to the requirements in Section III, Proposals for Facilities in the Utility Ownership Track must also meet all of the following: Include a habitat assessment and onsite acoustic survey for all listed and proposed to be listed bat species, as well as any bat species listed or proposed to be listed after the issuance of this RFP within bidder scope. Duke Energy, as project owner, shall have the ability to review and approve the scope of said studies before authorized. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ("USFWS") has listed or proposed to be listed several bats species with habitat range in North and South Carolina. These species include the Indiana Bat (Myotis sodalist) and Northern Long-eared Bat (Myotis septentrionalis), both currently listed as endangered. The tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) is proposed to be listed in the fall of 2023 as either a threatened or endangered species.
Answer: To clarify the guidance provided in GEN 00070 and 00007 for the 2023 RFP, for Asset Transfer and BOT bids, the Seller (the Market Participant) will be required to complete habitat assessment(s) and onsite acoustic survey(s), as established in Section IV.A. This will be the responsibility of the Market Participant and must be completed, along with all other applicable scope, as a condition to close pursuant to the applicable definitive agreement (Asset Purchase Agreement or Build Transfer Agreement). So, the assessment and surveys do not need to be completed prior to bidding a project into the RFP.
2024-GEN 00003 Published On: 07/16/2024
Question: Is the habitat assessment and acoustic survey for bats required prior to RFP submission for UOT projects? Considering the changing habits of bats which often change roosts seasonally, can it be assumed that a habitat assessment and acoustic survey will be required every year for the same project?
Answer: The habitat assessment and onsite acoustic survey requirements established in Section IV.A of the RFP, which apply to Utility Ownership Track projects, are not required to be completed prior to bid submission. The RFP provides guidance for bidders to plan to complete the habitat assessment and an onsite acoustic survey as part of their scope submission; whether and how often an assessment or survey will be required to be updated will depend on project specifics and then-current rules and regulations .
For additional information please see 2024-GEN 00003 and Q&As from the 2023 RFP - GEN00006, GEN00007 and GEN 00070.
2024-GEN 00002 Published On: 07/10/2024
Question: To clarify, for the 2024 RFP only the UOT proposals need to submit a habitat and onsite acoustic survey for all listed and proposed to be listed bat species, correct? PPA proposals are not required to submit that bat species information?
Answer: Correct, the habitat assessment and onsite acoustic survey requirements estimated in Section IV.A of the RFP only apply to Utility Ownership Track projects.
For additional information please see GEN00006, GEN00007 and GEN 00070, available at www.dukeenergyrfpcarolinas.com/FAQ/General.
2024-GEN 00001 Published On: 06/17/2024
Question: This question is regarding the upcoming 2024 RFP. Will Duke permit projects on local coop infrastructure to wheel power to them in this RFP?
Answer: Facilities must be located in the Duke Energy Carolinas (DEC) or Duke Energy Progress (DEP) North Carolina or South Carolina service territory and will physically interconnect with the DEC or DEP transmission system.