The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued a Request for Selection (RfS) for the setting up of 2,000 MW of grid-connected solar PV power projects (Tranche-I) under the second phase of the Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU) program in which the projects will be developed on Build-Own-Operate (B-O-O) basis.

The last date for the submission of bids is May 3, 2019. A pre-bid meeting is scheduled to be held on April 10, 2019.

An interested bidder can bid for the minimum project capacity of 10 MW and the maximum capacity of 2,000 MW. A bidder can set up the cumulative project capacity at a single location. The projects can be in the multiples of 10 MW, and the minimum capacity of each block should be 20 MW.

The scheduled commissioning date of the full capacity of the project will be 18 months from the date of issuance of Letter of Award (LoA). It can be extended for another six months.

The net worth of the bidder should be more than ₹12.5 million (~$0.18 million)/MW in the last financial year to be eligible to bid.

The maximum permissible limit for VGF has been kept at ₹7 million (~$0.10 million)/MW for these projects.

Recently, the President of India accorded his approval to implement phase-II of the CPSU program to set up 12,000 MW of grid-connected solar power projects for self-use or use by government entities.

The program was proposed by the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE). Under this, the government producers will get four years: 2019-2020 to 2022-23, to set up 12,000 MW of solar power projects.

Under the program, the usage charges should never exceed ₹3.50 (~$0.050)/kWh and will be exclusive of any other third-party charge such as wheeling, transmission charges and losses, and the likes.

Recently, SECI amended the provision for “Change in Law” in the Request for Selection for the 3 GW interstate transmission system-connected solar capacity linked tender with 1.5 GW of manufacturing.

Nitin is a staff reporter at Mercomindia.com and writes on renewable energy and related sectors. Prior to Mercom, Nitin has worked for CNN IBN, India News, Agricultural Spectrum and Bureaucracy Today. He received his bachelor’s degree in Journalism & Communication from Manipal Institute of Communication at Manipal University and Master’s degree in International Relations from Jindal School of International Affairs. More articles from Nitin Kabeer