AEP has requested proposals for up to 1.1GW of renewable power to be operational by the end of 2011.

The US utility is keen to receive proposals for low-impact hydro power as well as other renewable energy projects – wind, commercial-scale solar, geothermal and biomass.

Pre-bid discussions via webinars with potential bidders are scheduled for 16 and 18 June,.

In April, the utility announced in its Corporate Sustainability Report that with regulatory support it planned to double its original renewable portfolio target of 1GW. Two years ago it committed to adding 1GW and since then has increased its renewables capacity with 903MW of wind power.

In addition, in 2007 it announced a target of cutting power demand by 1GW by 2012, which it said complements its new energy efficiency goal of reducing energy consumption by 2250GWh of electricity annually by the end of that year.