The Southern Railway has invited bids for the installation of 1.2 MW rooftop solar projects at various locations in Perambur, Chennai, under the renewable energy service company (RESCO) model.

The bids open on May 7, 2024, and the last date to submit bids is May 21, 2024.

The project, with an estimated value of ₹169.8 million (~$2 million), is part of the Indian Railways’ efforts to leverage renewable energy sources to power its operations. The successful bidder will be responsible for the design, engineering, procurement, construction, installation, testing, and commissioning of the rooftop solar PV system and its operation.

The cost of the tender document is ₹34,810 (~$416), and the required earnest money deposit is ₹1.28 million (~$15,300).

Bidders must have an average annual turnover of at least ₹15 million (~$179,000) during the last three financial years and a positive net worth in all those years. Additionally, they must have installed either a minimum of 200 kWp of grid-connected rooftop solar systems or 1,000 kWp of any grid-connected systems.

Joint venture firms are allowed to bid for the project, and the ranking of the bids will be from lowest to highest based on the tariff rate quoted by the bidders. Tariff rates should be exclusive of taxes and levies such as self-generation tax, network charges, and any taxes in the future. These taxes and levies will be borne by the Railways.

The successful bidder will be required to complete the project within 240 days from the contract’s award date.

Recently, South Eastern Railway invited bids to empanel agencies for setting up 8.383 MW of grid-connected rooftop solar power projects in Odisha, Jharkhand, and West Bengal through public-private partnerships on a design, build, finance, operate, and transfer basis.

Earlier, the Asansol Division of Eastern Railway in West Bengal invited bids from solar developers to install 1 MW grid-connected rooftop solar projects on a design, build, finance, operate, and transfer basis.

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