Larsen & Toubro, Amara Raja Group, and Jakson Group were declared winders in NTPC‘s auction for a balance of systems (BoS) package for the 735 (3*245) MW Nokh solar project in Rajasthan.

Larsen & Toubro quoted a rate of ₹16.25 million (~$216,756)/MW to deliver the BoS package for the first block of  245 MW solar projects. Amara Raja Group won the bid for the second block of 245 MW by quoting ₹17.14 million (~$228,656)/MW. Jakson Group quoted the lowest bid of ₹17.86 million (~$238,333) to provide a BoS package for the third block of 245 MW.

NTPC initially issued the tender in March 2020 for the BoS package for the 735 (3*245) MW solar project in Rajasthan. In August 2020, the bid submission deadline was extended.

After that, in November 2021, NTPC reissued the tender. In the latest tender, the bidders’ average annual turnover requirement was increased.

The average annual turnover of bidders for the first block was raised to ₹900 million (~$12 million) and ₹1.8 billion (~$24 million) for the second block. Earlier, the minimum financial requirement for the first block was ₹670 million (~$8.81 million), and for the second block, it was ₹1.34 billion (~$17.61 million).

Previously, bid security for the bids was ₹50 million (~$657,236). Later, bidders were allowed to provide a declaration in the place of bid security.

The scope of work of the tender includes the design, engineering, manufacturing, supply, packing, transporting, unloading, storage, installation, testing, and commissioning of solar projects, excluding the supply of solar modules.

The successful bidders are also responsible for designing and constructing module mounting structures with tracker technology for solar modules, including installing modules on the tracker and the interconnection.

Earlier this month, NTPC Renewable Energy Limited invited bids for a BoS package with land for 300 MW of inter-state transmission system (ISTS)-connected solar projects to be set up anywhere in India. In the same month, it also invited bids for a BoS package with land for 1,000 MW of ISTS-connected solar projects to be set up anywhere in India.

Mercom had earlier reported that Amara Raja Power Systems won the reverse auction conducted by NTPC for a 90 MW BoS package for Anta Solar Power Project in Rajasthan.

According to Mercom’s India Solar Tender Tracker, NTPC has invited bids for BoS packages of 2,360 MW of solar projects to date.