MSEB Solar Agro Power (MSAPL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Maharashtra State Electricity Board MSEB Holding Company, has invited bids to procure 366 MW of solar power under Component C of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) program for feeder-level solarization in Solapur.

The projects would be developed under the second phase of the Mukhyamantri Saur Krushi Vahini Yojana program.

The last day to submit the bids is February 27, 2024. The bid opening date will be informed later.

Bidders must furnish a processing fee of ₹2,500 (~$30)/ MW and a document cost of ₹25,000 (~$300).

They must also submit an earnest money deposit of ₹100,000 (~$1,203)/ MW.

Selected bidders must submit a performance bank guarantee of ₹500,000(~$6,015)/ MW.

The scope of work includes ownership, financing, development, design, engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of the project, including the evacuation infrastructure up to the delivery point.

If Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDCL) is able to identify, before the bid due date, any new substations in the region of Solapur that will be eligible for interconnection at 11 kV / 22 kV / 33 kV voltage level of substations, MSEDCL may decide to purchase an additional 91 MW of solar power.

Bidders must have commissioned or have an operational solar capacity of at least 250 MW if the quoted capacity is more than 200 MW. If the quoted capacity is less than 200 MW, the requirement will be 100 MW.

They must have a net worth of ₹10 million (~$120,302) for the last three financial years. The net worth of the last three financial years should not be negative.

Bidders must have a minimum annual turnover of ₹2.5 million (~$30,076)/MW during the previous financial year 2022-2023. They must possess internal resource generation capability in the form of profit before depreciation interest and taxes for an amount that shall be calculated at the rate of ₹1 million (~$12,030)/MW.

Foreign investment funds can qualify if the asset under management is worth at least ₹10 billion (~$120.3 million) and if they have minimum investible funds of at least ₹5 billion (~$60.15 million).

MSAPL has leased 1,686 acres of revenue land from the Maharashtra government under land lease agreements. The annual sub-lease rent for such revenue land will be ₹1 (~$0.012)/ hectare.

If bidders require private land, MSAPL has compiled a list of private land parcels that are available for lease on its portal. The base lease rent for such private lands will be ₹125,000 (~$1,503)/ hectare/ annum or 6% of the ready reckoner rate, whichever is higher, with a provision of 3% escalation annually.

If the developers intend to use any other land, they must lease or procure 100% of the required land for a period not less than the complete term of PPA on or before the scheduled commission date.

The tender has mandated the use of domestically manufactured modules listed on the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers issued by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

The modules must ensure a capacity utilization factor of 19%.

In September, MSEB Agro Solar Power floated five tenders to procure 977.72 MW of solar power under MSKVY in Maharashtra.

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