Pinellas County shortlists operators for waste‑to‑energy plant; switches to open‑market power sales as rate study recommends modest fee increases

Pinellas County solid waste director Paul Sacco told the Board of County Commissioners on March 20 that the county has completed a qualifications phase and shortlisted two firms to operate its waste‑to‑energy facility: the incumbent operator ReWorld (formerly Covanta) and FCC Environmental Services. Sacco said the county expects to release phase‑two RFP documents to the shortlisted firms by the end of March and to allow 90–120 days for proposals, with a target award for the board in September and a mobilization/transition window before the end of the year.

The procurement follows ReWorld’s 2022 notice that it would not accept the contract extension under the existing terms. Sacco said the county negotiated a short extension while it ran a competitive process; the current extension sets the processing rate at $38 per ton with an allowable increase that would not exceed $40 per ton by the end of the extension. Sacco said the RFP will seek a 10‑year contract with two 5‑year renewal options for a new operator.

Why it matters: County staff and the outside rate consultant Raftelis say the county relied for years on a power purchase agreement and capacity payments that have largely disappeared; that loss reduced revenues that historically subsidized operations and capital. Raftelis presented a 30‑year financial model March 20 that…