Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited (KREDL) has issued a request for proposal for the selection of an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor for the design, engineering, supply, construction, erection, testing, and commissioning of 5 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) power project with 5 MW/16 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at Pavagada Ultra Mega Solar Park of Tumakuru district in Karnataka.

The EPC contractor will also be responsible for the operation and maintenance (O&M) of the plant for ten years.

The last date to submit the bids is September 14, 2022. Bids will be opened the following day.

The overall project cost is estimated to be ₹635.73 million (~$8.01 million).

The scope of work also includes the construction of a 66 kV line terminal bay for KREDL BESS at 220/66 kV sub-station number six of Karnataka Solar Power Development Corporation’s Pavagada solar park.

KREDL will allot 43 acres of land, of which 25 would be used to develop the project. Based on the justification by the contractor, additional land might be provided.

The successful bidder must submit a contract performance security of  ₹6.36 million (~$80,050) within 15 days after receiving the letter of award.

To be eligible, bidders must have manufactured or supplied batteries for grid Interactive battery energy storage systems of cumulative installed capacity of 16 MWh or higher. Out of that, at least one grid interactive battery energy storage system should have a 10 MWh capacity or higher. The reference grid interactive battery energy storage system of 10 MWh or higher capacity must have operated for at least 12 months before the techno commercial bid submission date.

Alternatively, they must have a memorandum of understanding with a technical partner who has executed the project mentioned above.

Bidders must have designed, supplied, erected, or supervised erection and commissioned solar PV-based grid-connected power plants of cumulative installed capacity of not less than 10 MW. One project should be a minimum of 5 MW or above at a single location for the public, government, or private client. The reference plants of at least 5 MW, through which bidders are meeting this technical eligibility criterion, must have been in operation for at least 12 months before the date of techno-commercial bid submission.

Bidders should be government-approved super grade licensees and must have executed at least one electrical sub-station of a minimum 66 kV voltage level, consisting of equipment such as 66 kV or above voltage level circuit breakers and a power transformer. The substation must be in operation for at least one year before the date of the techno-commercial bid opening.

The average annual turnover of the bidder should not be less than ₹1.27 billion (~$16.01 million) during any three financial years (FY) out of the preceding five financial years – from FY 2016-17 until FY 2020-21. The net worth of the bidder as of the last day of the preceding financial year FY 2020-21 should not be less than 100% of the bidder’s paid-up share capital, subject to a minimum of ₹200 million (~$2.52 million) per annum.

In May this year, the Government of Karnataka announced the new ‘Karnataka Renewable Energy Policy,’ valid for the 2022-2027 period, through which the state aims to develop 10 GW of additional renewable energy projects, with or without energy storage systems.

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