Rye Development, a leading developer of new low-impact run-of-river hydropower and storage plants in the United States, has invited request for qualifications (RFQ) by 11 January 2019 for engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services for ten new hydropower projects totalling 148 MW and aggregate annual production of 633 GWh on existing low-head dams, located in the greater Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia region at US Army Corps of Engineers’ navigational facilities.
The RFQ is intended to solicit submissions from qualified companies and/or consortia for the proposed projects leading to the selection of one EPC provider, according to a procurement notice published on 28 November. The projects have been grouped geographically, on a single river or river system, single US Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) District, or single Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Region. This approach facilitates review of cumulative and system-wide impacts by regulators, mitigates “dry-hole” risk and imparts economies of scale.
The ten projects include: a 17 MW scheme proposed at the Allegheny Lock and Dam #2 on the river Allegheny; three projects on the river Ohio (Emsworth Main Lock and Dam (24 MW, 101 GWh); Emsworth Back Lock and Dam (12 MW, 52.2 GWh); the Montgomery Lock and Dam (42 MW, 191 GWh); and, six projects on the river Monongahela.
Project specific information is located on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Docket eLibrary website at: https://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/docket_search.asp.
Rye said it is encouraging submissions by potential partners where qualified engineering firms and general contractors integrate their proposals into a combined team and delivery method. The scope of work will include an EPC approach to detailed design, engineering services, procurement of materials other than the turbine / generator and related systems, and construction services, including certain general support, documentation, installation of owner supplied turbine/generator equipment, complete plant system start up and testing, and as appropriate, engineering of hydropower facilities and the associated construction support activities. Rye expects to maintain control over major considerations throughout each phase of the project and expects to have a dedicated Owner’s Project Manager and Owner’s Engineer assigned to the project throughout design and construction. Rye will contract separately with the turbine generator supplier, supplying the equipment to the EPC for installation. Rye said it expects to invite its preferred partners for talks in January with the aim of selecting its preferred partners by mid-February.
During the solicitation period, the sole contact for any inquiries shall be: Virgil Q. Gray, Vice President of Construction Management, virgil@ryedevelopment.com. Any inquiries shall be submitted by e-mail. Responses to all questions and requests for clarifications will be shared with all RFQ recipients.
The full RFQ can be downloaded from Rye’s website at: www.ryedevelopment.com/RFQ.
