El Paso Electric Issues Request for Proposals for Firm Natural Gas Pipeline Transportation Capacity to Fabens, Texas

RFP seeks reliable pipeline transportation service for approximately 460 MW Fabens Power Station

FABENS, TX, UNITED STATES, September 14, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- FABENS, Texas, September 14, 2026 – El Paso Electric (“EPE”) has issued a Request for Proposals (“RFP”) seeking qualified pipeline owners, operators and developers to provide firm natural gas pipeline transportation capacity to a new EPE-owned, approximately 460-megawatt natural gas-fired generating facility planned near Fabens, Texas.

EPE is seeking a base quantity of 105,000 dekatherms per day (“Dth/day”) of firm transportation capacity from receipt points within the Permian Basin, including the Waha and Keystone areas and other commercially viable Permian Basin receipt points, to the planned Fabens Power Station. Proposed solutions may use existing pipeline capacity, pipeline expansions, new facilities or a combination of these alternatives.

Bidders may also submit separately priced partial-volume alternatives for 25,000 Dth/day, 50,000 Dth/day, and 75,000 Dth/day, as well as a separately priced expansion alternative of up to 200,000 Dth/day. EPE may select one proposal, multiple proposals, a partial-volume proposal, or no proposal and may combine proposals to meet all or a portion of its requirements.

The requested service must support a preferred first-gas date of November 1, 2028, for line pack, startup, commissioning, testing, and operational validation. Guaranteed firm transportation service must begin no later than December 1, 2028. EPE is seeking an initial contract term of 20 years, although bidders may propose longer-term alternatives.

“This RFP represents an important step in evaluating reliable and cost-effective natural gas transportation options for the Fabens Power Station,” said David Hawkins, Vice President of System Planning and Operations at EPE. “The competitive process will allow EPE to consider a range of pipeline solutions based on cost, reliability, operational flexibility, development readiness, and the ability to meet the project’s required service dates.”

EPE will evaluate proposals using economic, technical, operational, environmental and financial considerations. These considerations include total transportation cost, service firmness, receipt-point options, delivery pressure, hourly and intraday flexibility, imbalance provisions, operating restrictions, development risk, permitting status, financial capability, environmental impact and the bidder’s ability to meet the required project schedule.

Proposals must address a guaranteed minimum delivery pressure of 500 pounds per square inch gauge (“psig”) at the custody-transfer point while delivering the applicable maximum hourly quantity, subject to confirmation by EPE’s plant-design team. The preliminary delivery location is in Fabens, El Paso County, Texas, near the coordinates specified in the RFP.

The RFP is limited to pipeline transportation capacity and related facilities. Unless expressly identified as a separate alternative, the purchase of the natural gas commodity is outside the scope of the solicitation. Both interstate and intrastate pipeline proposals will be accepted.

RFP Schedule:
• RFP issuance: September 14, 2026
• Notice of Intent to Bid due: October 5, 2026
• Final date to submit questions: November 13, 2026
• Proposals due: December 11, 2026
• Selection of primary and alternate proposals: January 15, 2027
• Tentative execution of contract or contracts: May 14, 2027

Notices of Intent to Bid and completed proposals must be submitted electronically to the EPE contacts identified in the RFP. Notices of Intent and proposals are due by 2:00 p.m. Mountain Time on their respective due dates. Proposals must be submitted electronically in searchable PDF format.

EPE may modify, cancel, or withdraw the RFP and may revise the schedule when necessary. Proposals must remain open and valid through June 30, 2027, unless EPE agrees otherwise in writing.

RFP Contacts:
Victor Martinez
Director, Energy Resources
Victor.Martinez@epelectric.com
915-543-5792

Daniel Holguin
Principal, Forward Marketing
Daniel.Holguin@epelectric.com
915-543-2009

About El Paso Electric

El Paso Electric is an energy provider that is engaged in generation, transmission and distribution service to power approximately 465,000 customers in a 10,000 square mile area from Hatch, New Mexico to Van Horn, Texas. Major cities in the service region include El Paso, Texas and Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Jacob Reyes
El Paso Electric
public_relations@epelectric.com