The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has once again extended the deadline for its 4 MW floating solar project tender with 2 MW/1MWh battery energy storage system (BESS). The projects are slated to be developed at the Kalpong dam in North Andaman’s Diglipur.

The last date for the submission of bids has been extended to June 30, 2020, and the techno-commercial bid opening will be held on July 03, 2020. The earlier date for the submission of bids was set for June 15, 2020. SECI had extended the bid submission deadline to June 15, 2020, from May 18, 2020, set previously.

This is not the first time SECI extended the bid submission deadline for the project. It had earlier extended the deadline for the project to May 18, 2020, from May 4, 2020. Before that, it had revised the deadline from February 13, 2020, to May 4, 2020.

In January this year, SECI had issued a request for selection for the setting up of 4 MW of grid-connected floating solar power projects at the Kalpong dam. The projects will be developed on a build-own-operate basis. The interested bidders must pay ₹5.4 million (~$76,243.9) as the earnest money deposit. The maximum tariff payable to the developer has been set at ₹8 (~$0.11)/kWh for 25 years. This is inclusive of all statutory taxes, duties, levies, and cess applicable currently.

According to the tender documents, interested bidders are permitted to submit a single bid for the project. The projects are to be designed for interconnection with the nearest electricity department at a voltage level of 33 kV. The selected bidder will be expected to allocate an annual capacity utilization factor, not less than 17%.

Recently, SECI also once again extended the bid submission deadline for three projects in Telangana. The deadlines were extended for the 34 MW (AC) ground-based, 32 MW (AC) overburden dump based, and 15 MW (AC) floating solar power projects to be developed at the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) in Telangana.

Previously, it notified an extension in the bid submission deadline for a 20 MW (AC) floating solar PV power project with 60 MWh BESS at the union territory of Lakshadweep. The scope of work for the project included the design, engineering, supply, construction, testing, and commissioning of the 20 MW floating solar PV power project with 60 MWh BESS.

Image credit: Sungrow