The Maharashtra Energy Development Agency (MEDA) has invited bids for over 4 MW of solar projects. These solar projects will be developed at the following locations:

• 1.4 MW solar project at Akola
• 1 MW solar project at Vasai-Virar
• 1.58 MW solar project at Amravati

Apart from the development, the contract will also include comprehensive maintenance for five years. The projects are being developed under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) Abhiyan in Maharashtra.

The estimated cost of the project at Akola is ₹63 million (~$835,890), and interested bidders will have to submit an amount of ₹630,000 (~$8,358) as the earnest money deposit (EMD).

The estimated cost of the project at Vasai-Virar is ₹45 million (~$597,064), and interested bidders will have to submit an amount of ₹450,000 (~$5,970) as the EMD.

Similarly, the estimated cost of the project at Amravati is ₹71.1 million (~$943,361), and interested bidders will have to submit an amount of ₹711,000 (~$9,433) as the EMD.

The last date for the submission of bids for all the three tenders is June 29, 2020, and the pre-bid meeting will take place on June 17, 2020. The time given for the completion of the projects is 120 days from the date of the issue of the work order.

The selected bidder will have to give the generation guarantee for a minimum of 1.5 million units/MW per year from the commissioning of the project. The developer will have to provide web-based solar generation monitoring and data logging system along with the solar power project.

The technical eligibility criteria for the 1.4 MW solar project at Akola requires the bidder to have prior experience of implementing grid-connected solar projects of at least 2.8 MW, with one project of 500 kW installed at a single location.

For the 1 MW solar project at Vasai-Virar, the bidder should have prior experience of installing solar projects of at least 2 MW, with one project of 500 kW installed at a single location.

Similarly, for the 1.58 MW solar project at Amravati, the bidder should have installed solar projects of at least 3.16 MW, with a 500 kW project at a single location.

Regarding the financial eligibility criteria for all the three projects, the average annual financial turnover of the bidders during the last three years should be at least ₹90 million (~$1.19 million) and the net worth of the bidder for the last three financial years should not be less than ₹50 million (~$663,405).

According to Mercom’s India Solar Project Tracker, Maharashtra has nearly 1.5 GW of large-scale solar projects in operation, while 1.4 GW of project capacity is under the development pipeline, as of March 2020.

Previously, MEDA invited bids for 3.65 MW of grid-connected solar projects in the state. The tender included both rooftop and ground-mounted solar systems to be installed at various existing water lifting and treatment projects.