FORT WAYNE, Ind., March 15, 2022 – Indiana Michigan Power, an American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) company, has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for facilities that will generate approximately 800 megawatts (MW) of wind energy and approximately 500 MW of solar power.
I&M's invitation for bids offers private sector developers the opportunity to propose the best and most cost-effective projects to add significant renewable energy resources to I&M's diverse generation fleet. I&M currently operates five solar farms and purchases power from four Indiana wind farms. In 2021, more than 80% of the energy I&M generated was emission-free.
The resources being sought in this RFP align with I&M’s Powering the Next Tomorrow plan. Powering the Next Tomorrow was described in I&M’s Plan de Recursos Integrados, which was submitted to state utility regulatory commissions in both Indiana and Michigan earlier in 2022. I&M expects some of the new renewable resources to be online by as early as the end of 2024 and the full 1,300 MW to be online as early as the end of 2025.
"This RFP is designed to provide qualified developers the opportunity to bring forward wind and solar projects that can be used to serve Indiana Michigan Power customers," said Dave Lucas, I&M vice president for Regulatory and Finance. "These new resources will combine with I&M's existing generation to provide an even more diversified and flexible generation portfolio that will stabilize energy costs over time, stimulate economic growth, reduce emissions and take advantage of new technologies."
Indiana Michigan Power’s RFP is open and non-discriminatory, which provides bidders the opportunity to submit proposals that incorporate battery storage, emerging technologies and other resources to supplement the portfolio and provide for optimum performance and affordability.
I&M prefers projects that will provide economic benefit to the states of Indiana and/or Michigan and encourages the use of local resources where feasible. The RFP also calls for successful bidders to use reasonable efforts to utilize small and diverse suppliers as subcontractors for work.
The RFP calls for solar projects within Indiana and/or Michigan, while wind projects – which require availability of large amounts of land – can be in those states as well as Illinois or Ohio.
Bids are due April 21, and I&M plans to have contracts with the successful developers by the end of 2022. The selected resources will be submitted to state regulatory commissions in Indiana and Michigan for their review and approval.
I&M has engaged Charles River Associates to serve as an independent monitor for the RFP and incorporate input from groups representing customers and other stakeholders into the competitive procurement process.
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ABOUT INDIANA MICHIGAN POWER: Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) is headquartered in Fort Wayne, and its approximately 2,100 employees serve more than 600,000 customers. Más del 80% de la energía eléctrica que proporcionó en 2021 fue libre de emisiones. I&M tiene a su disposición diversas fuentes de generación, lo que incluye 2,278 MW de generación de energía nuclear en Michigan, 450 MW de generación de energía eólica comprada de Indiana, más de 22 MW de generación de energía hidroeléctrica en ambos estados, casi 35 MW de generación de energía solar a gran escala en ambos estados y 2,620 MW de generación de energía con carbón en Indiana.
ABOUT AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER: American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, is powering a cleaner, brighter energy future for its customers and communities. AEP tiene, aproximadamente, 16,700 empleados que operan y mantienen el sistema de transmisión de electricidad más grande del país y más de 224,000 millas de líneas de distribución para brindar energía eléctrica confiable y asequible en forma segura a 5.5 millones de clientes regularizados en 11 estados. AEP también es uno de los productores de electricidad más grandes del país, con aproximadamente 31,000 megavatios de capacidad de generación diversa, que incluye más de 5,900 megavatios de energía renovable. Los planes de la compañía incluyen aumentar su cartera de generación de energía renovable a, aproximadamente, el 50% de la capacidad total, a más tardar, en 2030. AEP está encaminada para lograr una reducción de las emisiones de dióxido de carbono del 80% respecto de los niveles de 2000, a más tardar, en 2030 y tiene el compromiso de alcanzar las cero emisiones netas para 2050. AEP recibe reconocimientos de manera constante por su enfoque en la sustentabilidad, la participación comunitaria y la diversidad, igualdad e inclusión. La familia de compañías de AEP incluye a AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (en Virginia y Virginia Occidental), AEP Appalachian Power (en Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma y Southwestern Electric Power Company (en Arkansas, Louisiana, este de Texas y la región del Mango de Texas). AEP también es propietaria de AEP Energy, que brinda soluciones energéticas competitivas e innovadoras en todo el país.
CONTACTO CON LOS MEDIOS DE COMUNICACIÓN
Tracy Warner
Indiana Michigan Power Communications
260-479-9484
tkwarner@aep.com