Azure Power and Adani Green Energy Fifteen were declared winners in the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company’s (MSEDCL) auction to procure 300 MW of power from grid-connected interstate and intrastate wind projects.

Azure Power won a capacity of 180 MW by quoting ₹3.43 (~$0.045)/kWh, and Adani Green Energy won a capacity of 120 MW with a tariff of ₹3.44 (~$0.046)/kWh.

MSEDCL had floated the tender in August this year to fulfill its non-solar renewable purchase obligation (RPOs) and meet its future power requirements. In 2019, the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission had asked MSEDCL to fulfill its non-solar RPO by procuring wind energy from projects whose energy purchase agreements (EPAs) have expired.

The successful bidders will operate and maintain the transmission network up to the delivery point and bear the cost. All approvals, permits, and clearances required for operating the project (including connectivity) and those needed from government and local bodies will be the successful bidder’s responsibility.

Before signing the PPA, the successful bidder may also execute the project through a special purpose vehicle, i.e., a project company incorporated as a wholly-owned subsidiary company.

Meanwhile, the lowest tariff quoted in a wind auction remains at ₹2.44 (~$0.033)/kWh. The tariff was discovered in the Solar Energy Corporation of India’s (SECI) auction of 2 GW of the interstate transmission system (ISTS)-connected wind projects under Tranche-III in  February 2018.

Last month, in SECI’s auction for 1,200 MW ISTS-connected wind power projects (Tranche-XI), ReNew Power won a capacity of 300 MW, Green Infra Wind Energy (180 MW), and Anupavan Renewables (150 MW), each quoting ₹2.69 (~$0.0369)/kWh.

In June this year, Tata Power and Azure Power were declared winners in MSEDCL’s auction to procure power from 500 MW of from grid-connected interstate and intrastate wind-solar hybrid projects on a long-term basis. Tata Power won a capacity of 300 MW, and  Azure Power won a capacity of 200 MW, both quoting ₹2.62 (~$0.035)/kWh.

According to Mercom’s India Solar Tender Tracker, MSEDCL has so far floated tenders for 2 GW of wind projects.