The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) has issued a tender for 175,000 off-grid solar water pumping systems.

Apart from the design, manufacture, supply, transport, installation, testing, and commissioning, the scope of work will also include warranties, repair, and maintenance of the pumps for a period of five years.

The project is part of the central government’s Off-grid and Decentralized Solar PV Application Program. The tender states that the solar pumps will be procured through a central agency, in this case, EESL, on behalf of the state nodal agencies (SNAs). These agencies will provide the letter of award to the selected bidders for the installation of the solar-powered water pumps.

The successful bidders will be allotted 90-120 days for installing these solar pumps. According to the tender, water pumps with solar PV modules and pumps must be manufactured in India. The equipment should also be approved under the Bureau of Indian Standards and MNRE guidelines.

The pre-bid meeting for this tender will take place in Delhi on August 28, 2019, and the last date of submission of bids will be September 11, 2019. The earnest money deposit for these bids will vary from around ₹900,000 ($12,524) to ₹30 million ($417,500) depending on the state or cluster where the bidder is looking to supply the solar water pumps.

The government has begun the process of allocating the capacities to various states under KUSUM program. The capacities have been allocated to several states in line with the demand received from states, the targets listed under the KUSUM program, and the guidelines. These will be applicable for the first year of the program.

Moreover, the Central Electronics Limited of the central government recently invited an Expression of Interest for the empanelment of manufactures of solar water pumps in tenders under the KUSUM program.

Meanwhile, the Solar Energy Equipment Manufacturers Association of Telangana has written a letter to the Minister of Power, R.K. Singh requesting the withdrawal of “the irrational and impractical decision of mandatory usage of the indigenous solar cells in the KUSUM program.”

Image credit: World Bank