NJ Transit (NJT) published a path forward for its NJ TRANSITGRID project, forming a special board committee to oversee the plan. The plan will incorporate renewable energy technology to align with the goals presented in Gov. Phil Murphy’s Energy Master Plan.
The plan calls for up to $3 million in stipends to be provided to qualified bidders in order to develop proposals that are environmentally-sound.
“The stipend program authorized by our board will encourage innovation and allow [NJT] to solicit the best possible technical design and construction solutions for our NJ TRANSITGRID project,” said New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti who also serves as NJT board chair.
Energy and Sustainability Policy Committee Formed
The board formed the Energy and Sustainability Policy Committee to oversee NJT’s efforts to adopt renewable energy technologies, overseeing the $557 million project.
The agency is in the process of hiring a renewable energy consultant to assist in the development of the project.
“We will be incentivizing the national and international developer community to come up with the most innovative designs that will allow us to maximize the use of renewable energy for this project. Our commitment is to deliver a project that meets the needs of our riders and remains consistent with Gov. Phil Murphy’s Energy Master Plan,” said NJT president and CEO Kevin Corbett.
Procurement Process
Developers will apply via a two-step procurement process involving an initial Request for Qualifications (RFQ) that will seek to establish a pool of qualified proposers followed by a Request for Proposals (RFP) that will require the qualified proposers to submit comprehensive technical and financial proposals to integrate renewable or other zero emissions energy technologies into the proposed Microgrid Central Facility. Each qualified team will be awarded a stipend valued at $1 million after completion of the RFP step, with the total anticipated value of the stipend program not exceeding $3 million.
The agency will first host a Microgrid Market Outreach event for potential bidders and bidding teams. The event will review the project’s renewables energy strategy, allowing time for potential bidders to form a renewables team and meet other requirements as the project proceeds.
Further Development for NJ TRANSITGRID
The NJ TRANSITGRID project was envisioned in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, when widespread destruction affected the state’s railways.
The project is envisioned as including renewable energy generation as a way to better weather future storms.
NJT has been awarded more than $409 million in federal funds for the project to better support NJT and Amtrak’s service during extreme weather or power outages. Funding has been secured from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the Federal Transit Administration.
