Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has issued a tender for 5.74 MW rooftop solar projects at CMRL’s Phase 1 and Phase 1 Extension areas in the city.

The project will be implemented under the renewable energy service company (RESCO) model.

The last date for the submission of bids is September 11, 2023. Bids will be opened the next day.

The scope of the work includes design, engineering, manufacturing, and supply to storage, civil construction, erection of appropriate structures, testing, and commissioning, as well as overseeing the operation and maintenance (O&M) for 25 years.

Bidders can propose a capacity within a range of approximately 25% of the total planned capacity of 5.74 MW.

This variation covers the option to increase capacity at specific locations, decrease capacity at specific locations, or even withdraw the project at a specified location.

The value of work, excluding GST, is estimated to be ₹250 million (~$3 million).

Bidders must furnish a non-refundable bid submission fee, including GST of ₹32,000 (~$386.7) and an earnest money deposit (EMD) of ₹2.5 million (~$30,213).

The successful bidder must furnish the performance bank guarantee within 30 days of receiving the allocation letter. The calculation for the performance security amount is as follows:

Performance Security amount = 10% of the project cost = (5.74 MWp x benchmark cost ₹43.6 million [(~$526,794) x 10%)] = ₹25 million (~$302,061)

The work must be completed within 18 months of signing the Power Purchase Agreement.

Bidders must have completed the installation and commissioning of a rooftop solar project with a minimum capacity of 4.6 MW in the past ten years.

The total capacity can be a combination of various stations or sites, but only installations with a plant size of 250 kW and above will be included in the cumulative calculation.

Bidders must have installed and commissioned a single rooftop solar project with a minimum capacity of 1 MW in the last ten years.

Bidders must have a minimum average annual financial turnover of ₹75 million during the past five financial years.

They must have a positive net worth for at least three of the last five financial years.

Bidders should possess a net working capital of ₹80 million (~$966,733). If they do not meet this net working capital requirement, they must provide either a Line of Credit Certificate or a Liquidity Certificate from banks.

Recently, North Central Railways invited bids for state-wise empanelment of agencies to implement grid-connected rooftop solar power projects of 5.525 MW capacity at its various divisions and workshops through public-private partnership and on a design, build, finance, operate, and transfer basis.

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