The Haryana Renewable Energy Development Agency (HAREDA) has invited bidders for a pre-bid meeting for the solarization of 466 grid-connected solar pump sets on two selected feeders at Biana in Karnal district and Marupur in Yamunanagar district.

The installation is under a pilot project that falls under the component-C of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) program.

Last year, the state gave its approval to install solar-powered tube well pumps in the state. The pilot project involved the installation of 468 solar pumps totaling a cumulative capacity of around 2.9 MW.

The estimated value of the project is ₹165 million (~$2.3 million). Although the last date for bid submission is yet to be announced, a pre-bid meeting has been scheduled for February 13, 2020, in Panchkula.

The scope of work includes the design, supply, installation, commissioning, along with operation and maintenance for five years. It also involves the replacement of the existing AC pump sets with grid-connected solar brushless direct current (BLDC) pumping systems.

HAREDA states that it is mandatory to use domestically manufactured solar panels with indigenous solar cells and modules. Further, motor-pump-sets, inverter, and the balance of system should also be manufactured locally. The successful bidder must declare the list of imported components used in the manufacturing of equipment and the solarization of the system.

According to the tender document, the bidder should have a minimum average annual turnover of 30% of the estimated value in the last three financial years (FYs). The bidder should be profitable in FY 2018-19 and any one of the two previous years.

The successful bidder should have prior experience of having completed similar purchases or contracts costing not less than 40% of the estimated tender value in the last three financial years.

The developer must make a provision for a manual change over switch through which the power generated is either fed to the pump-motor for the discharge of water or to the inverter for export to the grid.

Successful bidders should also be responsible for galvanic isolation of solar water pumping system projects with an electrical grid or low tension (LT) panel.

A few days ago, Haryana also issued an expression of interest for 279 MW of solar projects under the KUSUM program that aims to solarize India’s agricultural sector.

In the recently-announced budget, the government highlighted the expansion of the PM-KUSUM program to provide two million farmers to set up standalone solar agricultural pumps and 1.5 million farmers to set up grid-connected pumps.

Image credit: By USDA NRCS Montana – Rangeland44.tif, Public Domain