Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDCL) has invited bids for the procurement of power on a long-term basis through a competitive bidding process from 5,000 MW grid-connected solar photovoltaic power projects.

The last date for submission of bids is April 24, 2024. Bids will be opened the next day.

Bidders have to pay ₹25,000 (~$301.64) as cost of the tender document and ₹1.5 million (~$18,097.89) + GST as processing fee.

Bidders must also furnish an earnest money deposit of ₹100,000 (~$1,206.50)/MW + GST.

The projects chosen for a combined capacity of 5,000 MW can be established in any state of India and must utilize solar PV technology. The selection of these projects will remain open to various technologies within the scope of this technology. This includes options like crystalline silicon or thin film, with or without trackers.

Only commercially proven and operational technologies will be permitted to mitigate technology-related risks and ensure timely project commissioning.

Projects under construction, yet to be commissioned, and already commissioned but lacking long-term power purchase agreements with any agency and instead selling power on a short-term or merchant plant basis will also be considered.

This applies only if these projects have not been accepted under other central or state programs and are not obligated to existing buyers.

The minimum project capacity will be 100 MW at a single location.

Bidders must identify and secure 100% of the land required for the project and provide tentative locations at the time of bid submission.

They must ensure that the technology they opt for is commercially established and complies with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s (MNRE) regulations outlined in the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers of solar modules order.

Bidders must have a minimum net worth of ₹4 million (~$ $48,264.37)/MW of the capacity quoted for the financial year ended March 31, 2023.

They must have a minimum annual turnover of ₹1million (~$12,066.51)/MW of the quoted capacity during the previous financial year, i.e., FY 2022-23.

Last year, MSEDCL issued multiple tenders to develop solar projects with an aggregate capacity of 615 MW, split into four different regions of the state. The ground-mounted projects would be built on government-owned land.

Earlier, MSEDCL also invited bids to procure 225 MW of power from decentralized solar projects of 500 kW to 2 MW under component-A of the Pradhan Mantri-Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) program.

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