The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) has invited applications for the enlistment of engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) bidders for the development of solar power projects.

The brief scope of work to be executed by enlisted bidder includes the supply, design, engineering, manufacturing, packing and forwarding, transportation, unloading, storage, installation, and commissioning of grid connected capacity of 50 MW or more of floating and/or ground-mounted solar PV project on turnkey basis.

The solar projects will be awarded to multiple or single bidders in single or multiple blocks of 50 MW each. The successful bidder will also have to provide operations and maintenance (O&M) services for the first three years.

The last date for submission of application is February 27, 2019. Applications will be opened on February 28, 2019.

To be eligible to apply, a bidder should have designed, supplied, installed and commissioned grid-connected solar projects of cumulative installed capacity of 40 MW or higher, out of which at least one project should be of at least 10 MW capacity.

The average annual turnover of the bidder should not be less than ₹2,000 million (~$ 28.08 million) in the last three financial years.

EPC Bidders who are already enlisted for development of solar PV projects of NTPC in response to earlier notice (NIA no 40087722) and are interested and wish to be enlisted for development of floating solar PV projects of NTPC also are required to submit fresh application for enlistment.

In the last couple of months, NTPC has issued a slew of solar tenders, especially in floating solar segment for its various sites across the country.

Recently, it issued a tender for 20 MW of grid-connected floating solar project at its Anta gas power station in Rajasthan.

In December 2018, the NTPC had issued three tenders for floating solar project- 100 MW at NTPC Ramagundam, located in Telangana; 25 MW  at NTPC Simhadri, located in Andhra Pradesh; and 20 MW at the reservoir of NTPC Auraiya gas power plant.

Recently, Mercom reported that power distribution companies (DISCOMs) in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka owe NTPC ₹58.38 billion (~$814.99 million) in outstanding power bills (both conventional and solar). A total amount of ₹18.84 billion (~$262.6 million) is due to be paid by DISCOMs to NTPC for solar power supplied under the National Solar Mission (NSM).