2024DroneGrant - RFP for Drone Inspection Services for Colorado Advanced Grid Monitoring Grant

Colorado Advanced Grid Monitoring Grant – Drone Inspection Services for Mountain Parks Electric Inc.

Mountain Parks Electric, Inc. (MPEI) is seeking a qualified and experienced contractor to provide Drone Inspection Services as part of the implementation of the Colorado Advanced Grid Monitoring Grant project. This project is funded under the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) through the 40101(d) formula funding allocation. The primary objective of this initiative is to enhance grid resilience through advanced monitoring strategies, enabling the utility to identify potential risks and implement preventative measures to ensure electric grid reliability.
Project Overview
The Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Fire and Vegetation Management Project will utilize drone technology to perform comprehensive inspections across approximately 1,300 miles of distribution lines and 21,500 utility poles within MPEI’s service area, covering Grand and Jackson Counties as well as parts of Routt, Summit, and Larimer Counties. The project aims to collect high-resolution infrared and color photographs to identify equipment defects, vegetation encroachment, and other potential risks to grid infrastructure. This data will be analyzed to efficiently prioritize maintenance and vegetation management tasks, thereby reducing wildfire risks and enhancing system reliability.

Note! Winning bidder must ensure the data provided to MPE integrates with MPE's NISC software.