The National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC), has again extended the bid submission deadline for 1,000 MW of solar projects under the Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU) Program Phase II, Tranche-1.

The new date for submission of the bid is August 16, 2019.

Earlier, the bid submission was extended to July 25, 2019, from July 15, 2019.

At the beginning of June 2019, the NTPC had issued a tender inviting government entities to procure power from 1 GW of solar projects.

According to the NTPC, prospective bidders’ average annual turnover should not be less than ₹240 million (~$34.96 million) during the last three financial years. Also, the net worth of the bidder should not be less than 100% of bidder’s paid-up share capital.

The scope of work includes the design, engineering, manufacturing, supply, unloading, installation, storage, and commissioning of the grid-connected capacity of 50 MW to 300 MW of solar PV projects on a turnkey basis under the domestic content requirement (DCR) category. The work also involves operation and maintenance of complete solar PV project, including switchyards along with electrical equipment.

To participate, an interested bidder should have developed SPV based grid-connected power projects of a cumulative installed capacity of 40 MW or higher.

The CPSU program was proposed by the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy. Under this, the government producers will get four years: 2019-2020 to 2022-23, to set up 12,000 MW of solar power projects across the country. Under the program, the usage charges should not exceed ₹3.50 (~$0.050)/kWh and will be exclusive of any other third-party charge such as wheeling, transmission charges, and losses.

Recently, the NTPC also extended the bid submission deadline for its tender for 1.2 GW ISTS-connected solar projects in western India. The NTPC had tendered the projects in November 2018.

Anjana is a news editor at Mercom India. Before joining Mercom, she held roles of senior editor, district correspondent, and sub-editor for The Times of India, Biospectrum and The Sunday Guardian. Before that, she worked at the Deccan Herald and the Asianlite as chief sub-editor and news editor. She has also contributed to The Quint, Hindustan Times, The New Indian Express, Reader’s Digest (UK edition), IndiaSe (Singapore-based magazine) and Asiaville. Anjana holds a Master’s degree in Geography from North Bengal University, and a diploma in mass communication and journalism from Guru Ghasidas University, Bhopal.