In previous alerts, we advised that Georgia Power Company (“GPC”) has issued a Request for Proposals for new utility scale solar energy projects to be completed in 2015 and 2016, and provided a schedule of dates and deliverables for companies interested in proposing projects under the program, known as GPC’s Advanced Solar Initiative (“ASI”) and ASI Prime.

Georgia Power has issued its first draft RFPs and Power Purchase Agreements (“PPAs”) for both the ASI and ASI Prime programs. You must register to have access to the draft documents.

Comments on the draft RFPs and draft PPAs must be submitted no later than January 31, 2014.  There will be no other opportunity to suggest changes to the RFPs or to the PPAs.  In other words, once the PPAs are finalized after review of the comments received by January 31 and are submitted to the Georgia Public Service Commission (“GPSC”) for approval, the provisions of the PPAs will not be changed.  There will be no opportunity to negotiate terms of the PPAs once approved by the GPSC.

Now is the only opportunity that bidders will have to suggested needed changes to the RFPs, or to the terms of the PPAs.  To provide comments and suggested changes, you will need to upload a document on the “Comments” tab of the website.  It is recommended that you provide a redline of provisions in the RFPs and PPAs for which you suggest changes, with an explanation of the reasons the changes are appropriate.  Comments will be posted on the website, and are confidential, so you should not identify the commenter in the substance of the comments.

If you would like assistance in evaluating the RFPs or PPAs, or in submitting comments to GPC, contact Steve O’Day.