The National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) has issued a tender to develop 20 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) projects at Rihand, located in Uttar Pradesh.

The tender calls for the development of the projects using domestic competitive bidding (DCB) through an open category. The last date for submission of bids is July 27, 2019.

The cost of bidding has been set at ₹2,25,000 (~$ 3,270). All bids should be accompanied by a bid security of ₹1 million (~$14,536).

As per the tender, the scope of work includes the design, engineering, manufacturing, supply, packing and forwarding, transportation, installation, and commission of the grid-connected projects on a turnkey basis.

According to the NTPC, the scope of work will also include the operation and maintenance of the complete solar PV projects along with electrical equipment, consumables, and spare parts for three years.

The interested bidder should also arrange the power and water supply for construction purposes. The successful bidder will also be responsible for the construction of a central monitoring and control station equipped with switchgear, SCADA, and battery rooms.

As far as the technical criteria are concerned, the bidder should have designed, supplied, installed, and commissioned solar projects of a cumulative installed capacity of 16 MW or higher. Out of this, at least one project should be of 4 MW or higher capacity.

In the last ten years, the interested bidders should have executed an industrial project either as a developer or as an EPC contractor in either power, oil, steel, gas, or coal mining worth ₹67 million (~$0.97 million).

The average turnover of the bidder should not be less than ₹67 million (~$0.97 million) during the previous three fiscal years. Also, the net worth of the bidder should not be less than 100% of bidder’s paid-up share capital.

Last year, the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) increased the capacity of the recently tendered floating solar projects in the state of Uttar Pradesh from 100 MW to 150 MW. The projects were tendered by SECI in March 2018. The solar projects will be developed on the Rihand Dam, also known as Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar Reservoir, located in Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh.

Recently, the NTPC issued a tender inviting eligible vendors to apply for the enlistment of engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) bidders for developing floating or ground-mounted solar PV projects between 10-50 MW capacity.

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.