Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued a tender to procure 400 MW (2×200 MW) of renewable energy on round the clock basis.

The energy procured through these projects will be supplied to the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

The projects developed under this tender can be constructed anywhere in India and will be connected to the inter-state transmission system (ISTS).

Under this tender, solar, wind, and hybrid projects can be developed. Moreover, the renewable power installations can be further augmented with necessary energy storage systems as per the developer’s requirements to meet the criteria of supply of power during the peak hours. The bidder will also have the flexibility to choose the type of storage system to be installed like battery energy storage systems, pumped storage systems, mechanical and chemical systems.

The minimum capacity a bidder can apply for is 200 MW, and a maximum capacity of 400 MW can be allocated to a single bidder.

Selected bidders are expected to enter into power purchase agreements (PPA) with the procurers for 25 years. The bidders are to quote a single first-year tariff under this tender, which should have an escalation of 4% per annum (rounded off to two decimal points), up to the end of the 15th contract year of the term of the power purchase agreement, and should subsequently be fixed thereafter for the remaining term of the PPA.

The net worth of an interested bidder should at least be ₹60 million ($833,000)/MW of the quoted capacity.

Bidders would have to submit an earnest money deposit of ₹3 million ($42,157) to participate in this tender. The last date for the submission of bids will be intimated through the online tendering platform.

Mismatch in load peak compared to solar or wind peak has been one of the disadvantages of renewables and also affecting grid stability. This tender by SECI is a unique one and the first one for round-the-clock demand and a path breaker for renewable energy integration.

Last month, 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 scheme. The projects will be developed on a build-own-operate basis.

More recently, SECI issued a notice inviting proposals for the development of renewable projects that would also be connected with the ISTS system. The total capacity tendered under this project was 200 MW.

Shaurya is a staff reporter at MercomIndia.com with experience working in the Indian solar energy industry for the past four years in various roles. Prior to joining Mercom, Shaurya worked with a renewable energy developer and a consulting company. Shaurya holds a Bachelors Degree in Business Management from Lancaster University in the United Kingdom.