Portland General Electric (PGE) issued a draft request for proposals (RFP) Thursday seeking bids in the second quarter for up to 950 MW of additional generating capacity that would be mostly natural gas-fueled. The new power sources are expected to come online during a five-year period (2013-2017).

The latest RFP is to be followed by a separate RFP that would seek bids on new renewable-based electricity supplies, a utility spokesperson told NGI. This solicitation also follows guidance that PGE received from the Oregon Public Utility Commission last September noting the utility needs to add to both its baseload and peaking resources.

With the help of third-party evaluation firm Accion Group Inc., PGE now is seeking up to 400 MW of baseload, gas-fired combined-cycle generation resources. It separately is looking for bids for about 200 MW of year-round flexible, peaking resources and two seasonal peaking resources: 200 MW of winter-summer peaking and another 150 MW of winter-only peaking.

While much of the nonbaseload supplies may also come from gas-fired sources, the RFP also seeks bids involving the use of a broader array of energy sources, including, hydroelectric, pumped storage, reciprocating engines and compressed-air storage with simple-cycle resources.

PGE is applying a new integrated resource plan (IRP) that envisions a changing energy mix from 2011-2015. While natural gas accounted for 24% of the utility’s resources last year, by 2015 gas is expected to grow to 43%.

PGE also plans to submit self-build “benchmark” proposals in the competitive bidding process for new energy and capacity resources, and it will also allow third-party bidders to submit proposals to build on PGE-owned sites gas-fired or other powered facilities. These sites include the Carty site adjacent to its coal-fired Boardman plant in north-central Oregon and a site adjacent to the Port Westward gas-fired generation plant in northwestern Oregon.

“We continue to focus on following an open and impartial process to acquire new resources needed to serve our customers,” said Jim Lobdell, PGE vice president for power operations and resource strategy.

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