Xcel Energy invites proposals for 200MW of Texan PV

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

A subsidiary of Xcel Energy, one of the largest electric utilities in the USA, has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for up to 200MW of PV capacity in the state of Texas.

Southwestern Public Service Company (SPS), one of the four subsidiary companies that make up Xcel Energy, is soliciting proposals for PV projects until 10 October.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

It did note however that depending on the quality of bids – and other factors including updates to the company's forecasts, availability of transmission lines and regulatory changes – the company could elect to acquire more or fewer resources than the 200MW. 

According to SPS, it is interested in projects that could be operational by 31 December 2016. A recent study by GTM Research claimed that owing to the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) drop-off in 2017, it expected to see a “huge boom” in installations in 2016, followed by a “complete collapse”.

Successful projects under the SPS tender would be contracted to power purchase agreements (PPAs). Based in Amarillo, Texas, SPS serves around 383,000 customers, serving regions of Texas, New Mexico, as well as parts of Oklahoma and Kansas. Parent company Xcel Energy has around 3.5 million electricity and 1.9 million natural gas customers in its service areas.

In a July report on utilities and clean energy deployment, Xcel Energy was ranked second highest for renewable energy sales among investor-owned US electric utilities. The lead author of that report, Bryce Yonker of Clean Edge Consulting, said it showed that, “The marketplace is changing and the utilities are seeing that, and they’re shifting their business models to accommodate how they can bring renewables and energy efficiency on line.”

Texas was noted by US trade body Solar Energy Industries’ Association (SEIA) as one of the US states with the most untapped solar potential and the state got the first solar industry group of its own, the Texas Solar Power Association (TSPA), in June. TSPA was formed by a consortium of solar energy companies.

Meanwhile another Texas-based utility, El Paso Electric, said back in the same month that using a mixture of natural gas and solar, it would be able to not only meet Environment Protection Agency (EPA) standards on greenhouse gas emissions by 2016 but could also be completely “coal-free” by then.

Read Next

August 8, 2025
This week several solar developers have raised funds for projects around the world, including BRUC in Europe, Greenalia in the US, Qair in Mauritius and CREC in Philippines.
August 8, 2025
German solar inverter manufacturer SMA Solar posted losses in the first half of 2025, as demand in the residential and corporate & industrial (C&I) solar sectors 'remains weak'.
August 8, 2025
US solar tracker manufacturer Array Technologies has posted revenue of US$362.2 million in the second quarter of this year.
Premium
August 8, 2025
Energy storage escaped much of the pain inflicted on solar, but foreign entity restrictions may create some supply-chain challenges.
August 8, 2025
Solar PV is likely to become less accessible to low-income Americans after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cancels the US$7 billion Solar For All scheme.
August 8, 2025
Argentinian renewables developer Genneia has reached commercial operations at its 180MW Parque Solar Anchoris in Argentina.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines