The Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) has tendered a total of 100 MW of grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) projects to be developed in the state. The bid-submission deadline is March 4, 2018.

The projects are set to be developed under four tenders. Here is the breakdown:

• 25 MW of grid-connected solar PV will be developed in the Cachar, Hailakandi, and Karimganj districts.
• 25 MW of grid-connected solar PV will be developed in the Sonitpur, Nagaon, Morigaon, Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, Lakhimpur, and Dhemaji districts.
• 25 MW of grid-connected solar PV will be developed in the Goalpara, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, and Kamrup districts.
• 25 MW of grid-connected solar PV will be developed in the Dhubri, Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, Udalguri, and Darrang districts.

The upper tariff ceiling for each tender is set at ₹4.48 (~$0.07)/kWh. All of the projects are to be developed on a build, own, and operate basis. The APDCL will be the off-taker and enter into a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with each of the successful bidders.

The solar power plant will be designed to interconnect with the Assam Electricity Grid Corporation Limited’s (AEGCL) state transmission utility (STU)/APDCL substation through dedicated transmission lines (or cables) at a voltage level of 11 KV and above.

The entire cost of the transmission infrastructure will be borne by the successful bidder. Each bidder must bid for the entire 25 MW of capacity that has been tendered for each project.

The APDCL estimates that the Letters of Award (LOAs) for these projects will be issued by March 21, 2018, and PPAs will be signed by March 30, 2018.

The tender announcement comes after Assam last year joined the Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) program and accrued a net benefit of ~₹16.63 billion (~$243.6 million) to the state. According to the Assam Electricity Regulatory Commission (AERC), APDCL’s Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) compliance decreased by 7 percent between financial year (FY) 2015-16 and FY 2016-17. The solar RPO for the state of Assam is set at 5 percent for FY 2018-19.

The state of Assam has no solar installations till date.