REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
East – West 345 kV Transmission Project
MTEP Project ID: XYZ
Project Overview
1. Project Description
REPLACE WITH PROJECT IMAGE The proposed East - West 345 kV Transmission Project consists of the following facilities:
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Expansion of the existing East Substation to include a second 345-138 kV, 448 MVA
transformer and a new 345 kV transmission line terminal.
Construction of a new West Substation consisting of three 345 kV terminal positions
by tapping into the existing North-South 345 kV transmission line approximately 75
miles to the west of East Substation.
Construction of a new 345 kV transmission line from the existing East Substation to
the proposed West Substation.
This project was approved in the MTEP18 planning cycle as a Market Efficiency Project.
The entire project is located within the state of XXX. The proposed 345 kV West Substation
and the proposed 345 kV East-West transmission line are facilities believed to be eligible for
competitive bidding through this Request for Proposal. Final eligibility will be based upon
the final route selection, as approved by any applicable State authorities.
2. Overview of 345 kV East – West Transmission Line Facility
REPLACE WITH PROJECT IMAGE, IF APPLICABLE The proposed 345 kV East – West transmission line should be designed as a single-circuit
345 kV three-phase AC transmission line with a normal rating of at least 1,100 MVA and an
emergency rating of at least 1,700 MVA. The portion of the transmission line to the west of
Interstate 99 should be constructed using double circuit structures to accommodate a
potential future 345 kV circuit from West Substation to the nearby metropolitan area. The
proposed in-service date for the 345 kV East – West transmission line is June 1, 2025.
3. Overview of 345 kV West Transmission Substation Facility
REPLACE WITH PROJECT IMAGE, IF APPLICABLE The proposed 345 kV West transmission substation should be designed as three terminal
345 kV switching substation with normal ratings of at least 1,100 MVA and an emergency
ratings of at least 1,700 MVA for each of the three line terminals. One line terminal will
represent the southern end of the proposed West to North transmission circuit. The second
line terminal will represent the north end of the proposed West to South transmission circuit.
The third line terminal will represent the west end of the proposed East to West transmission
circuit. The proposed West to North and West to South transmission circuits are created by
installing and in-and-out tap into the existing South to North 345 kV transmission line. The
proposed in-service date for the 345 kV West Substation is June 1, 2025.
Information Request
All proposals received to install and own the Transmission Line and/or the Transmission
Substation will be evaluated based on consideration of the information described below.
Eligible transmission developers may choose to bid on all or part of the proposed project and
separate their bid by:
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Substations
Transmission Lines
State boundaries
1. General
1.1. Cost
1.1.1. Present Value of 40 Year Annual Revenue Requirements
Consideration will be given to the present value of the annual revenue
requirements for the first 40 years of the facility’s life span beginning with the
proposed in-service date. Present value calculations should use discount
rates of 8.2% and annual cost escalation rates of 1.4%.
1.1.2. Capital Cost
Consideration will be given to the estimated total capital cost of project, fully
loaded including all contingencies and overheads, expressed both in currentyear and in-service date year dollars.
1.1.3. Annual Charge Rate
Consideration will be given to the annual charge rate including individual
components for i) return, ii) depreciation, iii) income taxes, iv) other taxes and
v) operations and maintenance. This rate must be calculated in compliance
with Attachment O of the MISO Tariff.
1.2. System Knowledge and Participation
Consideration will be given to the knowledge the Transmission Developer has
regarding the local transmission system, as well as the Transmission Developer’s
participation in the MISO planning process. This participation may include meeting
attendance, meeting involvement, project submissions, etc. Local transmission
system knowledge may be substantiated through demonstration of relevant studies,
operating experience, or other data.
1.3. Project Implementation Qualifications
All bidders must be pre-qualified (i.e. able, authorized and/or committed to becoming
able and authorized) to implement transmission projects within the relevant State(s).
However, consideration will be given to the policies and experiences of each bidder
related to the following areas:
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Project Management
Routing and Siting
Right-of-way Acquisition
Project Engineering
Material Procurement
Project Construction and Commissioning
Project Implementation Safety Record and Programs
1.4. Operations and Maintenance Qualifications
All bidders must be pre-qualified (i.e. able, authorized and/or committed to becoming
able and authorized) to operate and maintain transmission facilities within the
impacted State(s). However, consideration will be given to the following specific
capabilities of each bidder relative to other bidders to operate and maintain
transmission facilities:
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Real-time Operations
Switching
Emergency Repair and Forced Outage Response
Spare Parts
Preventative Maintenance and Testing
Operations and Maintenance Safety Record and Programs
2. Quality of Transmission Line Design
2.1. Proposed Preliminary Route
Consideration will be given to the proposed preliminary route including, but not limited
to, compliance with state and local laws and regulations related to siting, route length,
regulatory risk, use of existing corridors and consideration given by bidder to major
route impacts.
2.2. Proposed Conductor and Thermal Rating Methodology
Consideration will be given to the proposed conductor including, but not limited to, the
proposed bundling configuration, proposed conductor type, proposed conductor size,
thermal rating methodology and thermal rating methodology input assumptions.
2.3. Proposed Lightning Protection Methods
Consideration will be given to proposed lightning protection methods including, but not
limited to, methods used, shielding angles, arrester specifications (if applicable) and
proposed tower grounding resistance values.
2.4. Proposed Structure Design
Consideration will be given to the proposed structure design including, but not limited
to, structure design, anticipated useful life span, maintenance requirements, aesthetics
and future flexibility.
2.5. General Line Design
Consideration will be given to the general line design proposal including, but not limited
to, compliance with the National Electric Safety Code, compliance with state and local
codes and regulations, average and maximum span length, average and maximum
length between dead-end structures, estimated positive and zero sequence
impedance, estimated shunt susceptance, insulator type and specifications, proposed
grounding methods and proposed methods to mitigate impacts of conductor galloping
and Aeolian vibration.
3. Quality of Substation Design
3.1. Proposed Site Location
Consideration will be given to the proposed preliminary site including, but not limited to,
compliance with state and local laws and regulations related to siting, impact on the
route length of the proposed East-West 345 kV transmission line, regulatory risk, ability
of site to support proposed and future transmission line terminals from a routing
standpoint and consideration given by bidder to major site impacts.
3.2. Proposed One-Line Diagram and Station Layout
Consideration will be given to the proposed bus configuration including, but not limited
to, the ability to accommodate planned maintenance, impacts of planned maintenance
on topology, impact of planned maintenance on facility loading limits and potential
exposure to major contingencies. Consideration will be given to the ability to facilitate
connection of future facilities into the bus including additional branch terminals, new
voltage levels and/or shunt equipment.
3.3. Proposed Protection, Monitoring and Control Schemes
Consideration will be given to the proposed protective relaying schemes for
transmission circuits, bus sections (if applicable) and breaker failure schemes. This
consideration may include, but is not limited to, scheme type, technology, flexibility,
redundancy and when necessary, consistency with protective relay schemes at remote
substations. It also may include the level of proposed metering, telemetering and
remote equipment monitoring and alarms including proposed on-line monitoring
equipment for circuit breakers and protection and control equipment.
3.4. Proposed Lightning Protection Methods
Consideration will be given to proposed lightning protection methods including, but not
limited to, methods used as well as arrester locations, types and specifications within
the substation.
3.5. Proposed Circuit Breaker Specifications
Consideration will be given to proposed circuit breaker specifications including, but not
limited to, continuous current rating, momentary current rating, interrupting rating,
maximum design kV, Basic Impulse Level (BIL), interrupting time, interrupter type,
mechanism type, independent pole operation capability and use of dual trip coils.
3.6. Proposed Air Break Switch and Disconnect Specifications
Consideration will be given to proposed air break switch and disconnect specifications
including, but not limited to, continuous current rating, momentary current rating,
maximum design kV, Basic Impulse Level (BIL), and mechanism type.
3.7. Proposed Wave Trap Specifications if Applicable
If wave traps are required by the protection systems, consideration will be given to
proposed wave trap specifications including, but not limited to, continuous current
ratings, momentary current rating, maximum design kV and Basic Impulse Level (BIL).
3.8. Proposed Normal and Emergency Equipment Loading Ratings
Consideration will be given to the proposed normal and emergency load ratings of
station equipment such as circuit breakers, disconnect switches, wave traps, bus
sections, risers, jumpers, connectors, current transformers, current transformer
secondary equipment and other series equipment that could impact line terminal
ratings or station power transfer ratings. Consideration will also be given to rating
methodologies and associated input assumptions when ratings exceed nameplate
values.
3.9. Proposed Miscellaneous Voltage Ratings
Consideration will be given to proposed maximum design kV and Basic Impulse Level
(BIL) ratings of instrument transformers, wave traps and station insulators.