Solarcraft Power (BluPine Energy) and ACME Solar have emerged winners in Rajasthan Urja Vikas Nigam’s (RUVNL) auction to set up 1,200 MW of solar power projects anywhere in India with a committed supply for at least six hours during the peak demand periods from an energy storage system.

BluPine Energy won 100 MW by quoting a tariff of ₹6.68 (~$0.081)/kWh, and ACME won 500 MW out of the quoted 600 MW at ₹6.69 (~$0.081)/kWh.

The discovered tariffs for the auction were on the higher side because of the storage component.

RUVNL conducted the auction for only 600 MW, with no updates on the remaining capacity yet.

The tender was floated by RUVNL in March this year.

RUVNL will utilize power from these projects to meet its renewable purchase obligation targets.

As a component of the overall energy provision from the venture, it is obligatory for the developer to supply energy equivalent to a maximum of 3 MWh per 1 MW of the contracted capacity each day during peak periods, specifically from 6 AM to 10 AM and 6 PM to 10 PM.

The project must be planned to enable its integration with the interstate transmission system (ISTS), and the responsibility for securing connectivity to the ISTS rests with the developer.

Throughout the 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) term, the developer must sustain an energy supply that achieves an annual output corresponding to a capacity utilization factor (CUF) not lower than 90% of the declared value and not exceeding 120% of the declared CUF value.

The solar modules to be utilized in the projects are mandated to carry a warranty for peak output wattage, which should remain no less than 90% after a decade, and no less than 80% after 25 years.

In May this year, Mahindra Susten, Sunfree Energy, Solarcraft Power India (BluPine Energy), Jakson, Shiva Corporation, Avaada Energy, and SJVN emerged winners in RUVNL’s auction to supply 1 GW of power from state transmission utility-connected solar power projects in Rajasthan.

Earlier, RUVNL had invited bids to set up 1,500 MW of ISTS-connected wind-solar hybrid power projects anywhere in India with required storage for distribution companies to have flexibility in the scheduling of power.

Subscribe to Mercom’s India Solar Tender Tracker to stay on top of real-time tender activity.