Ameren Illinois Utilities
Energy RFP
Home

Long-Term Renewable Resources RFP

Products Overview

The Illinois Power Agency is soliciting bids for 20-year PPAs to purchase up to 600,000 MWh of renewable energy and the associated RECs each year for the Ameren Illinois Utilities. At least 75% of the renewable energy resources shall come from wind generation.

Eligible renewable energy resources include "energy and its associated renewable energy credit or renewable energy credits from wind, solar thermal energy, photovoltaic cells and panels, biodiesel, crops and untreated and unadulterated organic waste biomass, tree waste, hydropower that does not involve new construction or significant expansion of hydropower dams, and other alterative sources of environmentally preferable energy. For purposes of this Act, landfill gas produced in the State is considered a renewable energy resource. 'Renewable energy resources' do not include the incineration, burning, or heating of tires, garbage, general household, institutional, and commercial waste, industrial lunchroom or office waste, landscape waste other than tree waste, railroad crossties, utility poles, and construction or demolition debris, other than untreated and unadulterated waste wood." (IPA Act, Section 1-10)

The delivery of energy will be accomplished through a financially settled fixed for floating swap, with the floating price calculated as the MISO DAM LMP at the Ameren Illinois Utilities' load zone, currently the CP Node AMIL.BGS6.


Request for Proposals and Contract Documents
RFP revision includes updated procurement schedule and expands pre-bid collateral options to include cash
RFP Attachment A (Posted 8/25/20)
RFP Attachment B - See Procurement Info page
RFP Attachment C - See Procurement Info page
Forms
Bidder Registration Form (Updated (11/9/10)
Supplier Fee Agreement (Posted 12/2/10)
Note: The Supplier Fee Agreement must be signed and returned by email (aiurfp@levitan.com) or fax (617-531-2826) prior to the bid submission deadline
Bidding Materials
Download Bid Form (Posted 9/22/10)
Note: A separate Bid Form is required for each Unit
Note: Calculation should be set to Auto for form to work correctly

Additional documents can be found on the Procurement Information page.
Revised Schedule
 
8/16/10
RFP and Draft Contract Documents Issued
 
*10/22/10*
Deadline for Second Written Comments to Contract
 
*10/26/10*
*11/1/10*
*11/4/10*
Bidder Workshops in Chicago
 
*11/8/10*
Final Contract Documents Issued
 
*11/16/10*
Pre-Qualification Application Due
 
*11/22/10*
Bidders Notified of Pre-Qualification Results
 
*12/2/10*
Bidder Registration Materials & Pre-Bid LC Due
 
*12/7/10*
Bidder Practice Session
 
*12/9/10*
Bids Due
 
*12/13/10*
Procurement Administrator Submits Report to ICC, Recommended Bidders Notified
 
*12/15/10*
ICC Rules on Procurement Administrator Recommendation, Winning Bidders Notified
 
*12/20/10*
Contract(s) Executed
 
6/1/12
Service Commences

Latest Announcements
12/16/10:
Ameren-specific RFP results are posted to the Announcements page
12/16/10:
The public notice regarding RFP results is now available on the ICC website
12/7/10:
Bidder Practice Session presentation from December 7th can be viewed on the Procurement Info page
12/6/10:
New Q&A posted
12/2/10:
Updated Supplier Fee Agreement now available
12/2/10:
Information for the Bidder Practice Session is available on the Procurement Info posted
11/29/10:
New Q&A posted
11/8/10:
Updated pre-bid collateral materials posted to Procurement Info page
11/8/10:
Revised RFP posted to Procurement Info page
11/8/10:
Final contract posted to Procurement Info page
More Announcements...


Q&A
#L51:
Will technology- or unit-specific hourly production profiles be used in the bid evaluation calculations?
No, the bids will be adjusted based on the Resource Energy Value Factors: 1.20 for solar PV, 0.988 for wind, and 1.0 for all other technology types. Hourly profiles will not be used in bid evaluation.
(Posted 12/6/10)
#L50:
Please clarify whether the Supplier Fee is paid only once or each year.
The Supplier Fee is only paid once; each winning bidder's supplier fee payment will be calculated by multiplying the Supplier Fee ($3.50/MWh) by the awarded annual contract quantity (up to 600,000 MWh).
(Posted 12/6/10)
#L49:
Please provide examples of how the Yes/No options work in the Percentage Commitment section of the bid form (cell G7).
This question is used to determine the final Percentage Commitment for a resources which is awarded MWh for contract preparation. Answering "Yes" indicates that the Percentage Commitment will vary based on the quantity awarded. Answering "No" indicates that the Percentage Commitment will be fixed and will not vary based on the quantity awarded.

"Yes" Example: Bidder has a resource with an annual capacity of 1,000,000 MWh, of which 500,000 MWh is bid into the procurement. The Unit Minimum is 100,000 MWh, therefore the Procurement Administrator could accept any quantity between 100,000 MWh and 500,000 MWh. If the bidder will sell a proportional percentage between 10% and 50% of the resource's daily output based on the quantity that is awarded, "Yes" should be selected, and 1,000,000 entered as the 100% Percentage Commitment level. Assuming that 350,000 MWh were awarded to this resource, the calculated Percentage Commitment would be 35% [350,000/1,000,000].

"No" Example: Bidder has a resource with an annual capacity of 300,000 MWh, of which the entire capacity is bid into the procurement. The Unit Minimum is 200,000 MWh, therefore the Procurement Administrator could accept any quantity between 200,000 MWh and 300,000 MWh. If the bidder will sell all of the resource's output to the Buyer until the contract quantity has been met, "No" should be selected and 100% entered as the fixed Percentage Commitment. Assuming that 225,000 MWh are awarded, the supplier will sell the 100% of the resource's output to Buyer until the annual quantity of 225,000 MWh is met, at which point the contract will be fulfilled for the year.
(Posted 11/29/10)
#L48:
Can an unaffiliated corporate entity provide a corporate guaranty under the provisions of the Ameren PPA?
Yes, the guaranty can be provided by an unaffiliated entity, as long as that entity has been submitted through the pre-qualification process for a credit review.
(Posted 11/3/10)
#L47:
Which version of the contract should bidders submit comments to for the 10/22 deadline?
Comments should be submitted with the version of the contract that was previously indicated as the final contract for the 9/30 procurement event, which was posted on 9/9. This version is currently listed as RFP Attachment B - Long-Term Power Purchase Agreement (Revised Draft).
(Posted 10/19/10)
#L46:
If a bidder was previously pre-qualified during the initial Pre-Qualification Application submission period, is the bidder required to re-submit a new Pre-Qualification Application?
No, bidders who have previously submitted Pre-Qualification Applications do not need to re-submit unless information has changed. If a previously pre-qualified bidder chooses to submit additional resources, only new Resource Information Forms are needed.
(Posted 10/19/10)
#L45:
Will the Supplier Fee of $1.20/MWh be applied to all years of the contract?
No, the Supplier Fee will be applied only to the first year's awards. That is, the maximum total amount to be collected through the Supplier Fee will be $1.20/MWh * 600,000 MWh.
(Posted 9/24/10)
#L44:
What does the 9/22 announcement regarding the Unit Minimum cap being set at 450,000 MWh mean?
From the RFP, Section 3.6 on page 5:
"Bidders will be able to specify the minimum Percentage Commitment and Annual Contract Quantity Commitment that the Procurement Administrator can accept from each generating unit, subject to a cap on the minimum selection quantity of MWh on a per unit basis"
In effect, this cap means that a bidder cannot specify a minimum selection quantity for a given Unit that is higher than 450,000 MWh; alternatively stated, a bidder cannot submit an unbreakable bid with a quantity larger than 450,000. For example, a 600,000 MWh non-divisible bid would not be accepted; a 600,000 MWh bid with a minimum selection quantity of 450,000 MWh could be submitted, in which case the Procurement Administrator could accept either zero MWh, or any quantity between 450,000 and 600,000 MWh.
(Posted 9/23/10)
#L43:
What is the minimum amount for the guaranty to be posted at contract execution?
The guaranty must be signed and provided at the same time the bidder executes and returns a contract with Ameren Illinois Company. The bidder may provide a guaranty in the amount they choose, up to the unsecured credit cap, with the understanding that Ameren Illinois Company will margin for any exposures in excess of the amount of the guaranty. If the bidder believes the Ameren Illinois Company's calculations would show that AIC does not have positive exposure to the bidder, the bidder must still provide a guaranty at contract signing for an initial nominal amount that the bidder can be comfortable providing.
(Posted 9/22/10)
#L42:
Can unsecured credit be applied to REC Collateral?
No, as per Appendix K to the IPA's Procurement Plan, REC Collateral can only be provided as cash or a letter of credit.
(Posted 9/22/10)

Earlier questions can be found on the Q&A page.