Renewable Auction Mechanism

The Renewable Auction Mechanism (RAM) Program was established by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in Decision 10-12-048 (PDF, 2.0 MB) on December 17, 2010. This program was established to provide a streamlined process for PG&E to procure energy from new and existing Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) eligible generators. The recently concluded RAM 5 solicitation closed the program established in this decision.

In the 2014 RPS Plan Decision, Decision 14-11-042 (PDF, 1.1 MB), the CPUC adopted one additional RAM auction, RAM 6, under a structure similar to past RAM auctions. This solicitation will include the designated allocation of capacity for RAM 6, the rollover of remaining capacity from the Solar PV Program, and advanced procurement for PG&E's Solar Choice Program.

PG&E's modifications to the existing RAM Program Protocol and Appendices filed in Advice Letter 4605-E (PDF, 3.0 MB) was approved via a Disposition Letter date June 17, 2015.

Notice: Several documents have been updated to reflect the GTSR/PG&E Solar Choice program name change.

PG&E has developed an interactive, Google-based map of its service territory. The map is a tool to help renewable energy developers identify potential project sites. It not a guarantee that generators can interconnect at any particular time and place.

RAM RFO Protocol and Appendices

• PG&E Protocol for the RAM 6 RFO (PDF, 350 KB) (updated 03-02-16)
  • Protocol redlined against August 2015 Protocol document (PDF, 362 KB)
  • Protocol redlined against July 2015 Protocol document (PDF, 849 KB)
• Appendix A - RAM Offer Form (ZIP, 465 KB)
• Appendix B - PGE RAM PPA (DOC, 742 KB)
• Appendix C - Site Control Questionnaire and Attestation (DOC, 21 KB)
• Appendix D - Acknowledgement Commitment Site Owner (DOC, 41 KB)

Participants' Webinar

PG&E hosted the Bidders' Webinar for RAM 6 on July 14, 2015 from 9:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. (PPT). The presentation of this event, along with the audio file are available below.

If the audio portion of the Bidder's Webinar does not open in your browser, you will need to open the Windows Media Player and copy the URL into your media file application.

• RAM 6 Presentation (PDF, 1.1 MB)
• Audio File from the Webinar (MP3, 12.7 MB)
• Attendee List (PDF, 131 KB)
• Q&A (PDF, 78 KB)

Power Advocate Instructions and Registration Information

Important Information

All Participants who are interested in submitting a bid package into PG&E’s RAM 6 RFO will need to register with Power Advocate before submitting an offer into the RFO. To register at Power Advocate, click on the following link:
https://www.poweradvocate.com/pR.do?okey=50467&pubEvent=true

Only those participants that have been accepted through the Power Advocate platform will be permitted to bid into this RFO.

We encourage you to register now.

Power Advocate Instructions

All bid package materials must be submitted on the Power Advocate site by the schedule and time indicated above.

Power Advocate Instructions (PDF, 247 KB)

Distribution and transmission information

The Generator Interconnection Procedure pursuant to the WDT and CAISO Tariff consists of three application processes: (1) The Fast Track Procedure for generators 5 MW (2 MW on 12kV, 3MW on 21kV, and 5MW on higher voltages) in size that pass the "Fast Track Screens" (2) the Independent Study Process for all generators that are electrically independent from another generator or cluster of generators, and (3) the Cluster Study Process for interconnection requests that do not qualify for the Fast Track Process or the Independent Study Process.

Under the CAISO Tariff and PG&E WDT Generator Interconnection Procedures, all interconnection requests under the Independent Study Process or Cluster Process may request interconnection as a "full capacity" resource. Please refer to PG&E's or CAISO's website for more details.

For more information about the interconnection process, please visit PG&E's Wholesale Generator Interconnections website. Sellers may also send an email to PG&E's Generation Interconnection Services at wholesalegen@pge.com.

Any application for interconnection to PG&E's can now be submitted through an online form available at the: pge.com/wholesale.

GTSR Resources

• Program Eligibility Comparison Matrix (PDF, 204 KB)
• PG&E's Solar Choice Program/GTSR
• PG&E Solar Choice - Environmental Justice Project Eligible Census Tracts (PDF, 833 KB)
• PG&E Solar Choice - Community Project Eligible Cities (PDF, 152 KB)

Frequently Asked Questions

• RAM 6 General Program Questions (PDF, 83 KB)
• Offer Sequencing Guide (PDF, 96 KB)
• How to create a GIS file using Google Earth (PDF, 322 KB)
• Sample PPA documents
  • Sample PPA Cover Sheet(PDF, 222 KB)
  • Sample Appendix XIII (PDF, 289 KB)
  • Sample Single Line Diagram (PDF, 91 KB)

Contact Information

For information or questions about PG&E's RAM RFO please email RAMRFO@pge.com.