Ajmer Vidyut Vitran Nigam (AVVNL) has invited bids for the design, supply, survey, installation, testing, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of 269 MW grid-connected solar power projects under Component A of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) program.

The last date to submit the bids is November 29, 2024. Bids will be opened on December 3.

Bidders must furnish an earnest money deposit of ₹100,000 (~$1,187)/MW. The cost of tender documents is ₹5,000 (~$59).

The selected bidders will be responsible for the design, survey, supply, installation, testing, commissioning, and 25-year operations and maintenance of the solar projects and the associated 11 kV line connecting them with various 33/11 kV substations.

The scope of work also includes the construction of the control room or any other related civil work essential for the commissioning and remote monitoring of the projects for 25 years.

AVVNL will purchase the electricity at the levelized cost of ₹3.04 (~$0.036)/kWh for 25 years.

Bidders must set up decentralized solar power projects of 500 kW to 2 MW capacity on unused/barren land situated within a 5 km radius of 33/11 kV substations.

The projects will be installed by the farmers on their lands either directly or in partnership with a group of farmers/ cooperatives/ panchayats/ farmer producer organizations /water user associations or through a developer.

The modules used in the projects must conform to the mandate of the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers. The projects must achieve a minimum capacity utilization factor of 17%.

However, in case of multiple bids in a single substation, the selection of bidders will be based on the lowest tariff offered in ascending order. In such cases, the levelized tariff will be the ceiling tariff for bidders.

In March, the company issued four tenders to set up 768.4 MW solar power projects under Component C of the PM KUSUM program.

The company issued a tender to develop 72.33 MW grid-connected solar power projects under component C of the PM KUSUM program.