The Ministry of Power‘s twelfth annual integrated ratings of power distribution companies (DISCOMs) have revealed notable shifts in financial and operational performance. Out of the 55 DISCOMs evaluated for the financial year (FY) 2023, 17 have shown improvement in their grades, while 14 have been downgraded. Of the DISCOMs, 14 achieved an A+ grade compared to 10 last year.

Bondada Engineering, an infrastructure engineering, procurement, and construction company, has won the EPC contract from Singareni Collieries Company for a 67.5 MW solar power project in the Mandamarri area in Telangana. The scope of the contract includes the design, engineering, supply, construction, erection, testing, and commissioning of the project, along with setting up the 220 kV transmission system.

Türkiye’s Ministry of Commerce has recently issued an order regulating solar panel imports from Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Croatia, and Jordan. By regulating solar cell and module imports, Türkiye aims to create a level playing field for domestic and international renewable energy stakeholders. The order is an extension of the measures outlined in last year’s Communiqué on the Prevention of Unfair Competition in Imports.

Grasim Industries, an Aditya Birla Group company, has announced an investment of ₹12.5 billion (~$150.3 million) from the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The company said IFC’s investment was through subscription to non-convertible debentures. The funds raised through the sustainability-linked debentures will help Grasim’s decarbonization initiatives, specifically focusing on enhancing renewable energy adoption and water recycling in its paint manufacturing processes.

The Telangana State Electricity Regulatory Commission issued an order outlining the process for identifying stranded capacity and terms for imposing an additional surcharge on open-access consumers. The Commission sanctioned the additional surcharge claimed by Telangana DISCOMs, amounting to ₹1.40 (~$0.0168)/kWh. This surcharge will be effective from April 1, 2024, until September 30, 2024.

Madhya Pradesh Jal Nigam has invited bids for consultancy services for 100 MW solar and 60 MW wind power projects under the group captive mechanism. The consultancy assignment will last until one year after solar and wind power projects are commissioned. The last day to submit the bids is April 24, 2024. Bids will be opened on April 26. The selected bidder must furnish 10% of the contract value as a performance bank guarantee.

NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam has invited bids for enlisting engineering, procurement, and construction vendors to develop rooftop and ground-mounted solar systems with an aggregate capacity of 20 MW. The last date to submit the bid is April 17, 2024. Bids will be opened on the same day. The scope of work includes designing/engineering, supplying, packing, forwarding, transporting, unloading, storing, installing, testing, and commissioning the ground-mounted and rooftop solar projects.

Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation (HPPCL) has invited bids to undertake the design, supply, construction, erection, testing, commissioning, operation, and maintenance for eight years for solar power projects with a cumulative capacity of 13 MW at Maira and Dabhota II in Solan, Himachal Pradesh. The last date for the submission of bids is April 12, 2024. Bids will be opened the same day.

HPPCL has invited bids for the operation and maintenance of solar power projects with a 9 MW capacity at Dabhota in Nalaghar, Himachal Pradesh. Bids have to be submitted by April 12, 2024. Bids open on the same day. Bidders must submit an earnest money deposit of ₹10.5 million (~$126,308) and a tender document fee of ₹10,000 ($120). The minimum average financial turnover of bidders must be ₹260 million ($3.12 million) in the last three years.

Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam has invited bids to set up 6.5 MW of ground-mounted solar projects under Component C of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan program in the state. The scope of work includes design, engineering, procurement, supply, construction, erection, testing, commissioning, and associated 33 kV or 11 kV lines, remote monitoring systems, and operation and maintenance (O&M) for five years.

China-headquartered solar cell and module manufacturer JinkoSolar‘s total revenue in the fourth quarter of 2023 rose by 9.4% year-over-year to RMB 32.83 billion (~$4.62 billion), compared to RMB 30 billion (~$4.2 billion) in the same period last year. The increase was mainly due to higher solar module shipments driven by rising global demand, partially offset by lower average selling prices.