Ajmer Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (AVVNL) has floated a tender for distributed grid-connected solar systems for agricultural consumers under component C of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evem Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) program.

Under Component C of the KUSUM program, the government aims to solarize one million grid-connected agriculture pumps of up to 7.5 HP capacities by 2022.

AVVNL said 479 distributed solar systems would be installed at 29 select feeders in the Ajmer distribution company (DISCOM) on a ‘turnkey basis.’ The quantity might increase up to 50% or decrease as required by the DISCOM. The details are as under:

The projects in Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, and Rajsamand (Lot 1) are expected to cost ₹65.6 million (~$893,964). Interested bidders must pay an earnest money deposit (EMD) of ₹656,100 (~$8,941). The Banswara (VIII) project (Lot 2) is expected to cost ₹62.8 million (~$855,807) and comes with an EMD requirement of ₹627,750 (~$8,554). The last date for the submission of bids is January 21, 2020.

The scope of work includes the design, survey, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of the distributed solar systems along with five years of comprehensive maintenance. The work must be completed within nine months from the date of issue of the letter of approval (LOA).

To be eligible to take part in the competitive bidding process, bidders must be manufacturers of solar panels or solar water pumps. They must have experience supplying, installing, and maintaining grid-connected or off-grid solar systems, pumps, rooftop systems, ground-mounted systems, mini-grid systems, or home lighting systems in the last five years.

Prospective bidders are also expected to have a positive net worth in the last three years with a minimum average annual turnover not less than 50% of the estimated cost of the lot in any three of the last five years. The tender documents stated that only indigenously manufactured solar cells, panels, and modules are allowed. Domestic content requirement (DCR) certificates must also be produced by the supplier.

In February, AVVNL floated a tender for the solarization of 5,874 pumps distributed on 92 selected feeders in the Ajmer distribution company to aid the solarization of grid-connected agricultural consumers.

According to Mercom’s India Solar Tender Tracker, tenders for the solarization of 15,181 agriculture pumps have been floated by state DISCOMs in the state of Rajasthan as of December 2020.

Last month, the central government ramped up the targets of the program. It said that these scaled-up targets would be executed in 2020-21. In the amendment, a target for the solarization of 7.5 lakh existing agricultural pumps has been kept through a feeder-level solarization plan under Component-C. Accordingly, it also issued guidelines to provide a broad implementation framework for the feeder-level solarization plan.