NTPC Renewable Energy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NTPC, has invited bids for developing pumped hydro energy storage projects of up to 2,000 MW capacity across India.

The last date to submit the bids is August 16, 2023. Bids will be opened on the same day.

The project must be commissioned within five years from the award, including 1.5-2 years for the detailed project report, land acquisition, studies, and detailed engineering, and 3-3.5 years of construction.

Bidders must submit ₹200 million (~$2.43 million) for project capacity from 200 MW up to 360 MW, ₹500 million (~$6.08 million) from 370 MW up to 720 MW, ₹1 billion (~$12.17 million) from 730 MW up to 1,440 MW, and ₹2 billion (~$24.34 million) from 1,450 MW up to 2,000 MW as a bid security amount.

To be eligible, bidders should meet the following qualifying requirements:

Under Route 1, bidders should have received allotment or approval for pumped storage projects from the central or state government along with any two of the following conditions:

• Land allocation for the proposed project: Revenue land (granted) or private land (minimum 50% mutation complete), or a mix of both.
• Water allocation for first filling and make-up for a minimum of 25 years after the commissioning of the proposed project from the state or central government or respective owner of the permanent water body.
• The hydroelectric power potential of the proposed project must have been approved by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).
• Geological investigation report for the proposed project (Investigation completed and submitted to Geological Survey of India).

Bidders should have got approval for at least one detailed project report for a minimum capacity of 200 MW of pumped hydro energy storage project (single project) from CEA in the last ten years.

Under Route 2, they should have designed, supplied, erected, and commissioned a hydropower project or a lift irrigation system at a single location in the last ten years, having electro-mechanical and hydro-mechanical systems as following:

• Vertical Francis reversible turbine having unit rated output of 75 MW or higher.
• Vertical Shaft Synchronous type hydro motor generator having unit rated output of 75 MVA or higher.
• Generator and turbine for one hydroelectric power project in India at a single location with a capacity of not less than 60 MW.

Alternatively, bidders should have designed, executed, or supervised civil works of hydropower projects or lift irrigation systems during any one of the last ten financial years.

Under Route 3, bidders should have developed grid-connected hydropower projects with a cumulative installed capacity of 200 MW or higher, out of which at least one project should have been 40 MW or higher capacity at a single location. The reference project of 40 MW or higher capacity should have been operational for at least one year prior to the bid opening date.

The average annual turnover of bidders should not be less than ₹16.5 million (~$200,775) of the quoted capacity during any three of the last five financial years.

The net worth of the bidders as of the last day of the preceding financial year should not be less than 100% of the bidder’s paid-up share capital.

Any bidder from a country that shares a land border with India will be eligible to bid on this tender as far as they are registered with a competent authority.

In April this year, the Ministry of Power released guidelines to regulate and promote the development of pumped storage projects in the country. These guidelines clarify the methods for allotment of project sites through competitive bidding and rule out any upfront premium for project allocation to make it financially viable.

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