After a long lull, DCR tendering activity has picked up in India’s solar sector.

The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) tendered a 200 MW solar project under domestic content requirement (DCR) category to be developed in Neemuch-Mandsaur Solar Park, Madhya Pradesh.

The scope of work includes design, engineering, manufacture, supply, erection, testing, and commissioning of the solar project. The successful bidder will also provide operation and maintenance (O&M) services for a 10-year period.

SECI tendered the project on behalf of Coal India Limited which is a Central Public Sector Unit (CPSU).

It is a surprise that so many DCR tenders are coming out when the agreed upon DCR deadline of December 14 is just four months away. The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) tendered 241 MW of solar under DCR category. Previously the NTPC tendered 250 MW of solar under DCR.

An NTPC official had previously told Mercom, the agency can issue DCR tenders up to December 14, 2017, without conflicting with any regulations.

An official at SECI stated, “wherever the government is investing it can mandate DCR category and it will not be in violation of any trade rule.” The SECI official also said that if you see, most DCR tenders are for CPSUs which are government funded units not private parties.

SECI is the implementing agency for all things solar in India and the SECI official also said there’s more good news coming soon for local manufacturers as Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)’s proposal of expanding the CPSU program is bound to be accepted.

Under the MNRE’s CPSU program, 1,037 MW of solar under DCR category was allocated, out of which close to 755 MW has been commissioned, according to Mercom’s India Solar Project Tracker.

The MNRE recently proposed 7.5 GW of solar to be developed using domestically manufactured solar cells and modules during the second phase of its CPSU program.

Note: Article updated with grammatical corrections