HPCL Renewable and Green Energy (HPRGE), a subsidiary of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL), has invited bids for land and EHV transmission system package for the development of ISTS-connected solar power projects of 600 MW in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.

The last date for the submission of bids is June 21, 2024. Bids will be opened the same day.

The scope of work includes identifying and arranging the required land and designing, engineering, supplying, constructing, erection, and commissioning the EHV transmission system up to the ISTS substation.

This excludes the pooling substation at the solar project end but includes bay construction at the grid substation for a 600 MW capacity.

The scope encompasses three years of operation and maintenance of the transmission system and EHV bays at the ISTS substation.

Each project and location will have a capacity of 300 MW.

Bidders must arrange land for the solar project for at least 29 years and 11 months from the date it is allotted to HPGRE.

The land can be leased government land, private land, or a combination of both. The land parcel must be contiguous at a single location. Bidders must propose a lease or sublease for 30 years for a total of 1,200 acres.

They must offer land according to the specification of a minimum of 4 acres per MW.

The proposed land must not be within Great Indian Bustard zones, coastal regulation zones, or prohibited ranges of any wildlife-protected areas, forest areas, or defense establishments.

There should be no government restrictions on setting up the solar power project on the proposed land.

Bidders must submit an earnest money deposit of ₹1 million (~$11,969).

Successful bidders must furnish a performance bank guarantee of 5% of the EPC contract price (excluding land lease and O&M contract value) within two weeks of issuing the letter of award.

Bidders must have experience completing similar works in India over the past ten years.

This experience should include the following for grid-connected solar PV projects/ solar parks or wind projects/ wind parks with a capacity of 50 MW or higher at a single location:

• Arrangement of land for the project.
• Obtaining technical feasibility approval for power evacuation through an STU/ISTS substation.

The capacity to be quoted by the bidder in each schedule is 300 MW, which corresponds to approximately 1,200 acres of land.

The average annual financial turnover for the last three years, ending on March 31, 2024, should meet the following requirements: For Schedule 1, with a proposed capacity of 300 MW, the turnover should be at least ₹80 million (~$957,526).

For Schedule 2, with a proposed capacity of 300 MW, the turnover should also be at least ₹80 million (~$957,526). If Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 are combined for a total proposed capacity of 600 MW, the turnover should be at least ₹160 million (~$1.9 million).

In May, HPRGE invited bids for a detailed feasibility report and project management consultancy services for grid-tied rooftop and floating solar projects with a cumulative capacity of 81.5 MW.

HPRGEL also invited bids for the engineering, procurement, and construction package with land for 300 MW of solar projects in seven states.

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