2024-STM 00002 Published On: 06/14/2024
Question: Could you please advise where can I register to attend the 2024 RFP Technical Conference on June 17, 2024?
Answer: The materials for the Technical Conference are filed in the following NCUC dockets E-2, Sub 1340 and E-7, Sub 1310. The conference will also be broadcast on the NCUC You Tube channel a link is available here NCUC: Public Hearings
2024-STM 00001 Published On: 06/07/2024
Question: When will the 3rd Stakeholder Meeting for the 2024 RFP be held and will a registration link be sent out?
Answer: The 3rd Stakeholder Meeting is planned for June 14, 2024. An email annoucenement was sent out to registered users on the RFP Website on June 7, 2024. To become a registered user on the website, follow the steps on https://www.dukeenergyrfpcarolinas.com/Registration.
A link to register to attend the meeting is posted on the 2024 RFP Process Timeline section of the Home page: Duke Energy RFP Carolinas > Home.
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.
2024-DOC 00002 Published On: 07/24/2024
Question: Will projects that failed to submit a NOIR by August 15 be disqualified from participating in the RFP?
Answer: No, respondents for projects will not be disqualified if they failed to submit the Notice of Intent to Respond form by August 15. Respondents are encouraged to submit this non-binding form by the due date.
2024-DOC 00001 Published On: 07/16/2024
Question: The RFP mentiones "Grid locational guidance identifying transmission constraints" will be available on the IE webiste. Where can I find that?
Answer: The grid locational guidance document is now available on the IE's website, https://www.dukeenergyrfpcarolinas.com/2024-RFP-Documents
2024-INT 00007 Published On: 07/23/2024
Question: We reviewed the recently posted Locational Guidance document, which was very helpful. In the document, Duke stated that any additional generation in the Brunswick County region would cause additional, unacceptable limitations in the operation of the Brunswick nuclear generators. Moreover, the transmission solutions to fix these limitations would cost +$100 million. Can you confirm a rough radius of this region? If projects are +50 miles away, would they still trigger these upgrades?
Answer: The Brunswick limitation is for new generation connected directly to any of the 8 transmission lines connected to / coming out of Brunswick Plant. It is not a mileage radius around the plant.
2024-INT 00006 (revised 07/24/2024) Published On: 07/23/2024
Question: The 2024 RFP is scheduled to extend past Duke Energy's FERC O2023-A compliance filing effective date i.e. 11/1/2025. Will this RSC process be affected by these planned tariff changes? What are the changes expected for this RSC process?
Answer: If FERC approves the Order 2023-A Compliance filing with effective date 11/1/2025, FERC interconnection customers would have 60 days to comply with the order. If the 2024 Resource Solicitation Cluster (RSC) follows the same schedule as the 2023 RSC and a Phase 3 restudy is not required, then the 2024 RSC Phase 2 study would likely end in early November, 2025. The readiness requirements to move to Facilities Study would therefore be administered pursuant to the new Large Generator Interconnection Procedures (LGIP) effective 11/1/2025. The Order 2023-A Compliance filing includes a readiness requirement of 15% of the facility’s assigned Network Upgrade costs in order to move to the Facilities Study phase in the form of an irrevocable letter of credit, cash, a surety bond, or other form of security that is reasonably acceptable to Duke Energy. This financial readiness requirement is based upon a different calculation than the calculation included in the currently-effective LGIP.
2024-INT 00005 Published On: 06/27/2024
Question: If an MP is bidding SPS into the 2024 RFP, should they submit a Solar-Only interconnection request to the RSC including the SPS configuration documents (SLDs, site layouts, etc.) as attachments, or should they submit an SPS interconnection request including the Solar-Only configuration documents as attachments?
Answer: The MP should submit an SPS Interconnection Request during the Open Enrollment Window into the Resource Solicitation Cluster (RSC). The Interconnection Request submitted into the RSC must be for one generating facility and the facility can elect to bid as both solar only and SPS. One facility cannot bid multiple solar only and multiple SPS sizes or configurations. For additional information related to submitting an Interconnection Request in the RSC, please see Appendix O, Section I – “New Interconnection Request during 2024 RSC Bid Window”.
2024-INT 00004 Published On: 06/03/2024
Question: Will projects with an interconnection agreement from a previous DISIS be able to participate [in the 2024 RFP] without participating in the resource solicitation cluster? Or is the RSC required for all participants regardless of Interconnection status?
Answer: For eligibility requirements for the 2024 RFP, please see Section V. RFP Process, D. 2024 RFP-Specific Resource Solicitation Cluster of the RFP document, available at www.dukeenergyrfpcarolinas.com/2024-RFP-Documents.
2024-INT 00003 Published On: 05/20/2024
Question: In the 2024 draft RFP, under section B. Requirements specific to Solar Only Facilities, part (a) states that a project qualifies for the RFP if it has a “fully executed Interconnection Agreement with DEC or DEP and have participated in the serial interconnection study process.” Since a DISIS has been completed and projects might have an IA executed under that process, will the 2024 RFP amend the current language to include projects from earlier DISIS processes?
Answer: The Companies are not accepting projects in the 2024 RFP that have an executed Interconnection Agreement under a prior cluster study process.
2024-INT 00002 Published On: 04/19/2024
Question: Can you please confirm that projects planning to participate in the upcoming 2024 RFP and associated RSC should not enter into DISIS at this time?
Answer: Projects that plan to participate in the upcoming 2024 RFP will be required to participate in the 2024 Resource Solicitation Cluster (opening in August) and not the 2024 DISIS.
2024-INT 00001 Published On: 04/19/2024
Question: In the upcoming 2024 RFP if my project is selected as a finalist, but the RSC Phase 1 report indicates it would not able to reach commercial operation until after the RFP’s target time (presumably 11/30/2029), can my proposal decline the offer and have our proposal security refunded?
Answer: As currently contemplated, the Commercial Operation Date for 2024 RFP Winning Bids is November 30, 2029. Under the current version of the proposed 2024 RFP, a bidder may decline a winning bid offer and have their proposal security released if the 2024 RSC Phase 1 report indicates the project would have an online date past the assumed RFP target date (11/30/2029) due to network upgrade, contingent facilities, and interconnection facilities construction.