Caribbean Utilities Company (CUC) plans to renew the contracts for purchasing ULSD from Sol and Rubis. As part of this renewal, CUC wants to refine the fuel supply contracts used in the past and revisit if PLATTS is still the optimal fuel price index for CUC.

K&M will improve and refine the fuel supply agreements that CUC used in previous fuel supply tenders. K&M will also analyze if PLATTS is CUC’s optimal fuel price index. This analysis will include investigating which fuel price indices CUC’s fuel suppliers are likely to use to buy the fuel they supply to CUC and whether CUC would be better off using those indices rather than PLATTS. Based on this analysis, K&M will make specific recommendations on an appropriate fuel price adjustment formula.

K&M will assist CUC in developing new drafts of the primary and secondary fuel supply contracts that reflect the above improvements and refinements.

K&M will then assist CUC in preparing an RFP and reviewing and evaluating the proposals submitted by Sol and Rubis.

A private company had been considering the conversion and/or replacement of some of its existing diesel or coal-fired generation units, exploring the option of switching to Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO). To assist with this evaluation, the company engaged K&M to develop a proposal for conducting a return-on-investment analysis for different scenarios related to HFO conversion or replacement.

The proposal encompassed the following components:

1. Conversion and newbuild technical analysis: This involved assessing the viability of converting existing units to HFO, considering factors such as technical feasibility, equipment compatibility, and potential modifications. Additionally, K&M conducted an analysis of newbuild HFO technology options, including the associated balance of plant (BoP) requirements and cost analysis.
2. Scenario analysis: K&M performed a comprehensive scenario analysis, examining various conversion and replacement options to determine their economic viability. This analysis considered factors such as capital costs, operational efficiency, fuel availability, and environmental impacts.
3. Implementation roadmap: K&M developed an implementation roadmap outlining the steps and timeline required for the execution of the selected HFO conversion or replacement strategy. This roadmap provided a structured approach to guide HSA in the successful implementation of the chosen scenario.

By conducting the return-on-investment analysis and providing a comprehensive proposal, K&M supported the private company in making informed decisions regarding the conversion or replacement of their existing diesel or coal-fired generation units with HFO. The analysis considered technical aspects and scenario evaluation and provided a roadmap for the implementation of the chosen strategy.

U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) is working to implement the Global Procurement Initiative: Understanding Best Value (GPI) Regional Energy Procurement Program for South Asia (REPPSA) Virtual Training Series. The purpose of the REPPSA Virtual Training Series is to learn about innovative best-value procurement practices to support the development of high-quality energy infrastructure. The REPPSA Virtual Training Series is broken into a two-part training series focused on best practices in the procurement of energy infrastructure.

K&M was engaged by Green Powered Technology to develop and deliver USTDA-funded training sessions on Public Private Partnerships for Energy and Power Purchase Agreements. The workshops were designed to learn about innovative best-value procurement practices to support the development of high-quality energy infrastructure.

The K&M team developed training presentations and content and delivered virtual training sessions to public sector energy sector representatives from Maldives, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh.

K&M delivered virtual training sessions on use of PPPs for energy sectors, PPP planning, PPP procurement preparation and design including non-price evaluation factors, PPP implementation, role and development of PPA, development of bankable PPA, roles and best practices of key PPA provisions, and incorporation of non-price evaluation factors in PPA.

Saint Lucia had been experiencing increasingly severe weather systems, largely due to global climate change. These extreme weather events posed a threat to LUCELEC’s critical infrastructure. Recognizing that the current grid in St. Lucia was not built to withstand the strongest storms, particularly Category 5 and above, LUCELEC aimed to update its grid construction standards and implement measures to enhance system resilience. This was in response to the anticipated increase in severity and frequency of Atlantic storms resulting from climate change.

To prepare for these actions, LUCELEC enlisted the services of the K&M Team to conduct a comprehensive study addressing two key areas:

1. Establishing a method to measure the existing grid resilience and setting annual resilience targets.
2. Analyzing the electrical network infrastructure in St. Lucia through inspections, models, and other tools to identify a series of projects that would enhance the resilience of the transmission and distribution networks, generation assets, and LUCELEC’s solar farm.

Throughout the study, K&M developed a reliability metric to track LUCELEC’s progress in improving system resilience. This involved reviewing and analyzing system data, conducting interviews with LUCELEC’s senior staff, performing on-site visits, and identifying a prioritized pipeline of climate resilience projects. The ultimate objective was to enable LUCELEC to formulate a specific grid resilience improvement plan.

During the course of the study, K&M successfully developed a reliability metric that would allow LUCELEC to measure their progress in enhancing system resilience. They conducted a comprehensive review and analysis of system data, engaged in interviews with LUCELEC’s senior staff, conducted on-site visits, identified a pipeline of climate resilience projects, and prioritized them accordingly. The outcome of the study empowered LUCELEC to develop a targeted grid resilience improvement plan.

Sixth Street engaged K&M for a technical due diligence review of a new 940 MW natural gas-fired combined cycle electric generating facility in the Village of Lordstown, Trumbull County, OH. The project will feature a 2×1 configuration, employing two Siemens Energy SGT6-8000H 1.6 combustion turbine-generator units (CTGs), two Nooter/Eriksen heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs), and one Siemens steam turbine generator (STG). The facility, collectively known as the Power Island Equipment (PIE), may utilize Vogt or Siemens HTT HRSGs. Additionally, the project will incorporate supplemental firing and evaporative cooling for enhanced power output in specific conditions.

K&M conducted a technical due diligence review, focusing on the Independent Engineer’s report, EPC and O&M contracts, and financial model assumptions. Following the review, K&M prepared a memo identifying project risks and recommending adjustments to the financial model assumptions.

K&M was contracted by Guinéenne d’Energie (GDE) to perform a pre-feasibility study for a new gas-fired power plant project in Conakry. The objective of this assignment is to identify the size and timing of gas-fired capacity additions that are economically justified in the Guinean grid, estimate the economically justified electricity generation using natural gas and resulting gas demand, assess the viable generation options for a new gas-fired power plant in Conakry, and develop an implementation plan for progressing the project from its current conceptual stage to a commissioning stage.

K&M’s scope of work included:

K&M has commenced this pre-feasibility study by collecting data on the current state of the power system in Guinea and developing a simplified model to estimate thermal capacity requirements to meet annual peak and reserve requirements. From this work, K&M has identified the size and timing of gas-fired capacity additions that are economically justified in the Guinean grid. K&M also developed a simplified merit-order dispatch model to estimate the dispatch of a new gas-fired power plant and calculate the resulting gas demand. Later, the team assessed viable interconnection arrangements between the power plant and transmission system substation, evaluated site conditions, and identified viable technologies and configurations. K&M also calculated and compared the marginal costs and the Levelized cost of electricity for each generation technology option. Lastly, the team assisted the project by developing an implementation plan to help progress the project from the current conceptual stage to the commissioning stage.

FortisTCI was negotiating its regulatory framework with the Turks and Caicos Islands Government (TCIG) while the Government was also considering developing a multisector regulatory agency. FortisTCI hired K&M to assist them in writing a response to Kairi Consultants, a consulting firm hired by TCIG to assess the existing regulatory frameworks for public utilities. K&M prepared a Report on Reform of the Regulatory Framework Applicable to FortisTCI. This report described FortisTCI and its applicable regulatory framework, benchmarked regulatory frameworks in other Caribbean jurisdictions, and provided recommendations for the relevant framework for regulating FortisTCI.

A confidential Colombian equity fund which provides debt and/or equity financing to power projects engaged K&M to perform a technical, environmental, and social due diligence review of a gas-fired reciprocating engine power generation project composed by six (6) Wartsila 20V34SG generating units, three (3) Jenbacher JGC 320 GS-SL gensets as well as a dedicated gas supply line and 115kV electric transmission line. The technical due diligence review was for a transaction where the confidential client is interested to acquire and operate the asset. K&M’s scope of work included technical due diligence of the power generation assets, as well as environmental legal compliance, and compliance with IFC Performance Standards on Environmental and Social Sustainability.

The National Electric Power Company (NEPCO), a national electric utility responsible for operating Jordan’s transmission network planning system expansion including procurement of new generating facilities selected the Attarat Power Company, a private company incorporated in Jordan, whose shares are owned Malaysian, Chinese, and Estonia entities, to develop, design, finance, construct, test, commission, complete, own, insure, operate and maintain a 470 MW (net) oil shale fired power plant (together with the mine and water extraction facilities). The project consists of two 235 MW (net) unit. The project will sell its capacity and energy to NEPCO under a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). K&M was selected to serve as an Independent Engineer on the project serving both NEPCO and APCO and getting paid by both parties on a 50/50 basis.

A confidential US client which provides debt and/or equity financing to power projects engaged K&M to perform a commercial due diligence review to support a loan transaction for the Inkia generation portfolio.