The Fall 2019 Block Energy and Capacity RFP consists of multiple procurement events held by the Illinois Power Agency (IPA) in compliance with Public Act 095-0481 and the Illinois Power Agency Act. The procurement events include solicitation of monthly on-peak and off-peak standard block forward products as well as combinations for Ameren Illinois Company (AIC), ComEd, and MidAmerican Energy Company (MEC). Additionally, capacity products are procured for AIC for periods starting June 1, 2020 and June 1, 2021.
Key dates and milestones include: Bidder Information Webcast on July 23, 2019; Fall 2019 Final Targets released July 30, 2019; Final RFP Rules and documents released July 22, 2019; Pre-Bid Letters of Credit for Energy Products due August 28, 2019 by 12 PM noon CPT; Pre-Bid Letters of Credit for AIC Capacity Products due September 3, 2019 by 12 PM noon CPT; Block Energy Procurement Events results announced September 13, 2019; AIC Capacity Procurement Event results announced September 18, 2019; ICC Decision on September 13, 2019 for energy products and September 18, 2019 for capacity products.
The supply period for standard block forward products runs from June 1, 2019 to May 31, 2022. Supplier Fees are levied only on suppliers whose bids are approved by the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC), with charges of $163 per on-peak block, $109 per off-peak block, and $20 per Zone Resource Credit (ZRC). These fees are due by the seventh business day after the ICC decision. Bidders must be members of PJM in good standing (either as Affiliate Members or Voting Members) and/or Certified Market Participants in MISO as of the Part 1 Window opening.
The RFP follows a two-part proposal process: Part 1 submissions for qualification and Part 2 submissions for bid placement. All bid assurance collateral remains in place until the Commission renders a decision. Bidders must submit executed Pre-Bid Letters of Credit with their Part 2 Proposals. The procurement process maintains strict confidentiality requirements, with all participants bound to maintain confidentiality of supplier and bidding information except for the public disclosure of successful bidders and the average of winning bid prices.