The Guam Public Utilities Commission on Aug. 28 approved the partial Phase‑4 renewable acquisition awards to four project entities for up to 18.4 megawatts of AC solar capacity, finding contract prices and terms commercially reasonable and consistent with prior Phase‑4 procurements.

PUC legal counsel and staff presented a detailed record, including evaluation of bids submitted under GPA’s IFB and a comparison to earlier Phase‑4 awards. The four Partial Renewable Energy Purchase Agreements (REPAs) are with entities presented as PRU Timuning LLC, PRU Malolo LLC, PRU Blantat LLC, and PRU Barragada LLC (all bid by the Pacific Energy Corporation / Landscape Management Systems consortium). The total estimated 25‑year contract payments across the four REPA awards were presented as approximately $157.5 million paid over contract terms; all proposed prices fall below the IFB/PUC cap of $0.179 per kilowatt‑hour and include a 1% annual escalation.

Staff and counsel reviewed fuel‑cost modeling and LEAC impacts. PUC analysis found these four REPAs would increase LIEAC costs in some years but would also reduce fuel consumption and associated costs as renewable generation displaces fuel‑burning units. The ALJ analysis estimated these four projects would represent about 6% of the Phase‑4 renewable energy total and would offset roughly 48,000 barrels of fuel annually (GPA project‑wide savings were estimated at about 800,000 barrels if all Phase‑4 projects are implemented). The PUC noted the net LEAC effect depends on oil prices; the staff analysis calculated a break‑even oil price for the REPAs’ LEAC impact at about $131.25 per barrel.

After questions about schedule, interconnection and battery requirements (each of these distribution‑sited projects must include batteries sized at roughly half of nameplate capacity per IFB requirements), a motion to approve the partial award to the PEEC/LMS consortium was adopted by the commission. The PUC retained authority over final contract execution and required that each award’s final contracts be returned for PUC review as needed.