Mahasamruddhi Renewable Energy (MREL), a special purpose vehicle of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation, has invited bids for the long-term purchase of 164 MW of solar power under open access from its projects along a highway connecting Mumbai and Nagpur.

Bids must be submitted by May 23, 2025. Bids will be opened on May 26.

Bidders must furnish an earnest money deposit of ₹500,000 (~$5,870), a tender document fee of ₹10,000 (~$117.40) plus 18% GST, and a tender processing fee of ₹50,000 (~$587) plus 18% GST.

Successful bidders must submit a performance bank guarantee of ₹3.5 million (~$41,090)/MW of the procured capacity, valid for the entire power purchase agreement (PPA) term.

The scope of work includes purchasing power from MREL’s solar projects under long-term open access, managing all associated formalities and charges, and adhering to the PPA terms.

Selected bidders must sign a PPA within ten days of the letter of award. They must also provide operation and maintenance services for the time specified in the PPA.

The base tariff for the PPA’s initial five years is ₹3.30 (~$0.0387)/kWh, excluding all open access, transmission and wheeling, cross subsidy, additional, and other statutory charges. The tariff will escalate by 3% every subsequent five years.

The total available capacity of 164 MW is divided into the following categories, with minimum bid submission capacities:

• 5 MW for government agencies, public sector undertakings, and semi-government entities
• 10 MW for industrial consumers, distribution companies, and licensed power traders (with a 10-year mandatory locking period)
• 1 MW for commercial customers, listed and unlisted companies, private limited companies, and private institutions (with a 10-year mandatory locking period)

Bidders must demonstrate that at least 51% of the total energy generated by the solar project will be consumed directly by them.

Bidders must also demonstrate the ability to participate in energy scheduling and forecasting processes per state and central electricity regulatory guidelines.

Bidders must have a net worth of ₹3.5 million (~$41,090)/MW as of the last day of the preceding financial year. They must also have a minimum average annual turnover of ₹7 million (~$82,180)/MW of the procured capacity for the last three financial years.

In October 2024, MREL invited bids to commission 37 MW of ground-mounted and rooftop solar projects along the Hindu Hruday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, a highway connecting Nagpur and Mumbai.

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