The West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL) has issued a tender to develop solar projects to electrify 76 villages in West Bengal under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) program. The bid-submission deadline is August 12, 2017.

The projects will be developed in the Coochbehar, Murshidabad, Bankura, Purulia, Burdwan, North 24 Parganas, Purba Medinipur, Nadia and Malda districts of West Bengal.

The estimated project cost is Rs.1.14 billion (~$17.6 million) and the projects will be developed on a turnkey basis. The scope of work includes, supply, installation, and commissioning of the solar projects.

The successful bidder will be responsible for providing the transmission network, including household connections in Below Poverty (BPL) households and Above Poverty Line (APL) households. The bidder will also provide maintenance services for the BPL household connections for a five-year period. The WBSEDCL has allocated Rs.32.56 million (~$0.5 million) out of the estimated project cost towards providing service connections to APL households.

Mercom previously reported that a total of 12,364 villages have been electrified under the DDUGJY program as of February 28, 2017.

Sampath has been part of the Mercom India research and news team since the company’s inception. He currently oversees all data and research relating to news published on the MercomIndia.com platform. Sampath received his Bachelor’s of Commerce Degree from Kuvempu University and Post Graduate Diploma in Management, from Indira Gandhi National Open University. More articles from Sampath Krishna.