Louisville Gas and Electric Co. and Kentucky Utilities (KU) Co. issued a request for proposals (RFPs) to assess renewable energy availability and associated costs.

The utilities said that they currently generate enough energy to meet demand. They plan to use the solicitation to monitor the market to determine if feasible, lower-cost options exist.

The RFP requires that respondents be ready to supply a minimum of 10 megawatts (MW) and no more than 200 MW by January 2022. The utilities also said that the generating resources be in Kentucky or surrounding states and be delivered to LG&E and KU’s transmission system. The proposed power sales agreements may range from 5 to 20 years.

All proposals are due by March 29 and the evaluations are expected to be completed by late May.

Hydro dam upgrade

A new turbine is lowered into place during the Ohio Falls renovation project. Source: LG&EThe call for proposals came days after the utilities said they had completed work on upgrading the 1920s-vintage Ohio Falls Hydroelectric Generating Station in Louisville. Upgrades to enhance equipment, software and safety measures began in 2005. The plant’s eight generating units were overhauled, with each taking more than a year to complete.

The plant was built in 1923 by Byllesby Engineering and Management Corp. and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. When it entered service, the plant featured eight 10.4 MW units operating at roughly 13,500 hp per unit. Each unit included Allis Chamber turbines and General Electric generators.

When Ohio Falls went online in 1927, its maximum generating capacity was 80 MW. Following the upgrade, each generating unit now is rated at 12.5 MW for a combined capacity of more than 100 MW.