Malabar Cements (MCL), a Government of Kerala undertaking, has invited bids for a 1 MW solar project at its Walayar facility in Palakkad, Kerala.

The site is located approximately 25 km from Coimbatore and Palakkad on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border.

Bids must be submitted by February 25, 2025. Bids will be opened on February 27.

Bidders must furnish an earnest money deposit of ₹100,000 (~$1,151) and a bid submission fee of ₹8,850 (~$101.86), including GST. Selected bidders must also furnish a performance bank guarantee of 5% of the contract value within 15 days of the contract award.

The scope of work includes supplying and installing the solar power project, carrying out the civil and structural work, preparing a detailed project report (DPR), and ensuring synchronization with MCL’s existing power infrastructure.

The duration of the project is six months from the issuance of the letter of intent, with the DPR preparation and engineering design required to be completed within 30 days.

Bidders must have experience installing at least 1 MW of renewable energy projects in the past five years. They must be empaneled with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) or Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB).

The project will be executed under the build, own, operate and transfer model.

Recently, the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission estimated that an investment of ₹522.38 billion (~$6.01 billion) would be required by 2030 to upgrade energy infrastructure and integrate renewable energy sources in the state effectively.

Kerala has emerged as a leader in residential rooftop solar installations, with the PM Surya Ghar program being a major catalyst. Kerala has achieved a 60.13% application-to-installation conversion rate, reflecting high implementation efficiency.

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