Austin Energy Shops for Power Plant Maintenance Service Contracts

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Community-owned electrical generation operator Austin Energy (Austin, Texas) has several contract packages for power plant maintenance open for bidding, with more to follow.

Austin Energy released request for proposals (RFPs) for maintenance services on its combustion turbines and combined-cycle power services about three weeks ago. The company is preparing to release additional contract RFPs for steam turbine and boiler services as well. The contracts are approximately 24 months in duration, with multiple phase extensions possible. Austin Energy has also released service contracts for auxiliary items such as pumps, motors, valves and storm water pond maintenance.

Austin Energy operates approximately 3,000 MW of natural gas-fired electrical generation and is co-owner of several other power stations throughout Texas, including the Fayette power project near LaGrange and the South Texas Nuclear Project near Bay City.

The company owns approximately 13 gigawatts of renewable power generation. Austin Energy also oversees the transmission and distribution of electrical generation through the maintenance and operation of more than 9,000 miles of overhead and underground transmission lines and 48 substations throughout its service area.

The Texas-based utility is one of many national groups that are already operating SMART grid technologies. Currently, Austin Energy is operating what it calls "Smart Grid 1.0," which manages more than 86,000 smart thermostats in homes and business. The system can eliminate 90 MW of power demand during peak usage periods. The company is currently preparing to upgrade to "Smart Grid 2.0," which will be able to manage solar parks and micro windfarms, as well as energy storage facilities and charging stations for plug-in hybrid vehicles.

The utility is currently reviewing plans for the addition of approximately 480 MW of electrical generation, requiring an estimated investment of approximately $230 million dollars.

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