Leidos presents prelim analysis of IRP modeling to CUC board

The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. board met yesterday with the consultant it hired to analyze bids for a 20- to 25-year resource management plan.

Charles Janacek, from Leidos Engineering LLC—the third-party hired to review these bids—met with board and management yesterday to discuss the preliminary results of their analysis.

The meeting was in executive, or closed-door session, as CUC has yet to choose a winning bid among five competing bids being considered.

Leidos is preparing models of these bids as far as 20 to 25 years down the line and sharing these details with the utility executives.

Acting CUC executive director John Riegel, in an interview after the meeting was over, said there was “still privileged information” being discussed.

“They are analyzing the different proposals,” he said.

“It could be in November…a couple months,” Riegel said when asked when they would choose a bid.

Saipan Tribune earlier reported that Leidos was down to five bids.

Leidos proposes a review schedule that includes notification of successful bids in September to October this year, with the negotiation of contracts and awards of contracts from October to February next year.

One IRP bid—or “Renewable 1”—offers a range of solar generation, both with and without storage, with options for site control at specific feeders. This bid can cover up from 1 megawatt to 10-megawatt max capacity. The bid calls for 25-power purchase agreement, with no upfront cash from CUC.

Another bidder—“Renewable 2” provides simply solar generation with 10-megawatt max capacity, according to Leidos. It also wants a 25-year power purchase agreement with no upfront cash.

A third bidder—termed “Thermal 1”—has a project that involves diesel engines burning heavy fuel oil. Max capacity for this bidder is 30 megawatts. The bid plans for a 20-year power purchase agreement with no upfront CUC cash but CUC-supplied fuel.

“Thermal 2”—the second thermal energy bid—plans for diesel engines burning light fuel at 30 megawatt max capacity. The bid proposes an engineering, procurement, and construction, or EPC, contract to construct, operate, and maintain. This project will be CUC financed and with CUC-supplied fuel.

“Thermal 3”—the last bidder—is described by Leidos as a project ranging from “extending CUC’s existing assets to new diesel engines burning light fuel.” This bid plans a max capacity of 30 to 70 megawatts. They want a 20-year power purchase agreement requiring CUC securitization and guarantees, with no upfront CUC cash, using CUC-supplied fuel.