The bids to develop a long-range plan for Washington Electric Utilities are in.

The city received three bids on the project — one from Booth & Associates, one from Power Services and one from Utility Electrical Consultants. They were opened at 2 p.m. Jan. 25. The city retains the right to reject any or all bids.

The plan would be a 10-year plan that takes a broad overview. “It takes a look at load, new growth and making our system more efficient as far as loops and that sort of think,” said Alston Tankard, electric system director of WEU.

“What it is, is it’s transmission and distribution system planning, system protection coordination and transmission and distribution system line design. Basically, a system evaluation,” Tankard said.

“Of course, Booth & Associates was somewhere in the middle. Progressive Engineering as on the higher end and Utility (Electrical) Consultants was on the lower end. We’re looking more toward Utility (Electrical) Consultants,” said Tankard. “We’re going to make that final decision … and then that will have to be presented to council.”

Tankard and his staff are trying to get the proposal on the council’s Feb. 11 agenda, but it could be March when it is presented.

“It is Washington’s intent to select the most advantageous submittal based on the evaluation criteria stated in this RFP,” reads the request for proposal.

The bids were to include an hourly rate for long-range planning services to be used after selection and as a tool for negotiation for complete the work and an hourly rate for an ongoing engineering relationship between Washington and the firm that would allow Washington to use the firm’s expertise on an ongoing basis after the plan has been completed.

Washington is a full requirement purchase power customer of the N.C. Eastern Municipal Power Agency. It receives power through a 230 kV interconnection with the Duke Energy Progress Aurora-Greenville 230 kV transmission line at Washington’s Chocowinity point of delivery.

Washington owns and operates six distribution substations, seven miles of 230 kV lines, 55 miles of 34.5 kV lines and 475 miles of 12.47 kV lines.