Puerto Rico launches first of six calls for renewables and storage

From pv magazine USA

The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) has officially kicked off a massive call for new renewable energy and storage over the next three years.

On Feb. 22, the utility issued a request for proposals (RFP) seeking to procure 1 GW of renewable energy resource capacity. The RFP also calls for 500 MW/2 GWh of energy storage capacity with an effective duration of four hours, including 150 MW to be provided by virtual power plants made up of distributed generation, storage, and demand response resources.

This RFP represents the first of six tranches soliciting proposals for a cumulative total of 3.75 GW of renewable generation and 1.5 GW of energy storage during a three-year period. The procurements are in accordance with the Integrated Resource Plan approved by the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau on Aug. 24, 2020, and additional orders issued by the bureau.

The island’s grid has been undergoing a transition ever since it was devastated by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017. Puerto Rican leaders and regulators pushed to rebuild the power infrastructure with a stronger reliance on renewable energy.

Under Act 17, which was signed into law in 2019, PREPA is required to obtain 20% of its electricity from renewable resources by 2022, 40% by 2025, 60% by 2040, and 100% by 2050.

Proposals for PREPA’s initial RFP are due May 3. The full document is available here.