The Solar Electricity Corporation of India (SECI) has extended the bid submission deadline for its tender for 1.2 GW of the interstate transmission system (ISTS)-connected renewable energy projects with a guaranteed peak power supply (ISTS-VII).

The new bid submission deadline is December 16, 2019, from the previously set deadline of November 29, 2019.

In this tender, a project should have at least two components. One will be the energy storage system (ESS) component, and the other will be the renewable energy generating component. The renewable generating component can be either a solar photovoltaic system or a wind energy system or a hybrid system of both technologies.

Apart from the extension, the central agency has also carried out a few revisions in the tender.

SECI has revised the rate of earnest money deposit (EMD) to ₹750,000 (~$10,501.9)/ MW. Earlier, Mercom reported the EMD of ₹0.6 million (~$ 8,680)/MW was to be submitted by the bidders as a bank guarantee along with the RfS application.

SECI also states that the ‘peak tariff’ will mean the tariff payable to the hybrid developers for the energy supplied during the peak hours as per the dispatch schedule confirmed by the distribution companies (DISCOM). This would apply to the supply of energy limited to 300 MWh within a day, for each 100 MW contracted capacity. The original document stated that the ‘peak tariff’ will mean the tariff payable to the hybrid developer for the energy generation only during the peak hours.

Further, the hybrid power developer will be entitled to receive an off-peak tariff of ₹2.88 (~$0.04)/ kWh fixed for the entire term of the agreement for the energy supplied during the off-peak hours. Previously, the developer would receive an off-peak tariff of ₹2.70 (~$0.038)/ kWh for the entire term of the agreement.

Earlier, for each project, the minimum project capacity that can be allocated to a bidder was 50 MW, while 300 MW was the maximum capacity. However, the revised tender states that the maximum capacity that can be allocated is 600 MW although the minimum capacity remains unchanged.

Further, the maximum time allowed for the commissioning of the full project capacity has been increased from 24 months to 30 months from the effective date of the power purchase agreement.

In October 2019, SECI issued another tender to procure 400 MW (2×200 MW) of renewable energy on round the clock basis. The power procured through these projects will be supplied to the New Delhi Municipal Corporation and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

Previously, SECI had invited bids from wind power generators to develop 1,200 MW of interstate transmission system connected wind power projects under Tranche-IX of the ISTS program.

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.