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

July 1, 2025
Spanish independent power producer (IPP) Zelestra has secured financing and reached financial close for its 220MW solar-plus-storage plant in Chile.
July 1, 2025
Independent power producer (IPP) Arevon Energy has closed a US$600 million credit facility to support its solar PV and energy storage portfolio in the US.
July 1, 2025
The UK government has released this week (30 June) its Solar Roadmap, which sets out practical measures to meet the country’s solar PV targets.
July 1, 2025
Solar developer ib vogt has sold a 110MW solar PV plant in Spain to international fund NextPower V ESG, which is operated by investment firm NextEnergy Capital (NEC).
July 1, 2025
French private equity firm Ardian Clean Energy Evergreen Fund (ACEEF) has bought 117 solar PV plants, worth 116MW of total capacity in several locations in Italy.
July 1, 2025
Swedish independent power producer (IPP) OX2 has begun operations at a 100MW solar PV plant in Poland, its first project as an IPP.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Media Partners, Solar Media Events
July 2, 2025
Bangkok, Thailand
Media Partners, Solar Media Events
September 2, 2025
Mexico City, Mexico
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 22, 2025
Bilbao, Spain
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA