The Grid Corporation of Odisha (GRIDCO)’s 200 MW grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) project tender has been oversubscribed by almost four times.

The capacity was tendered by GRIDCO in April 2018.

“In all, 14 bidders have submitted technical bids,” said Mercom’s source at GRIDCO.

The source also informed that the financial bidding and the issue of letter of award (LoA) will be done within the next 15 days.

“Right now, the exact figures cannot be disclosed. GRIDCO will issue a statement upon the culmination of the entire process,” added the source.

This was the first tender that had come with a pass-through option when there were uncertainties surrounding safeguard duty.

However, this pass through in tariff will be applicable for imposition of anti-dumping or safeguard duty between the time-period of date of submission of the bid and invoice date of PV modules procured for the project.

According to Mercom India Solar Project Tracker, Odisha has an installed solar capacity of ~90 MW to date and a project pipeline of ~284 MW.

Of late, tenders floated by various state agencies have been oversubscribed, indicating the voracious appetite of developers for large scale solar projects.

Recently, the 1 GW grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) tender issued by Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) was oversubscribed by 870 MW.

Then in May 2018, Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL)’s 1 GW grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) tender was also oversubscribed by 450 MW.

Previously, Mercom also reported that Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (GUVNL)’s 500 MW grid-connected solar PV tender with greenshoe option was oversubscribed by over three times.