NTPC Renewable Energy (NTPC REL) has invited bids for a land and power evacuation package to develop 2 GW  interstate transmission system (ISTS)-connected solar power projects in Barmer, Rajasthan.

The last date to submit the bids is March 28, 2024. Bids will be opened on the same day.

Bidders must secure five acres of land per MW, either government or private, situated close to the Barmer ISTS substation. This land should be acquired on a freehold or leasehold basis, with the lease extending for at least 29 years and 11 months. Government land proportion should not exceed 10% of the total land area secured for the project.

They should conduct a topography survey of the land parcels and perform any necessary cutting or filling to achieve 95% compaction, following the standard Proctor Density test. This is to ensure an average slope of 10% for the land, which is required for installing tracker-based mounting structures.

Bidders must also commission AIS pooling substations (400 kV or 220 kV) with appropriate tie transformers (400 kV/33 kV or 220 kV/33 kV) and necessary substation automation and protection systems.

They must also build high-voltage transmission lines from the pooling substation to the ISTS substation.

Bidders must also provide three years of comprehensive operation and maintenance for the pooling substation and associated equipment, transmission lines, and terminal bays at the ISTS end.

Bidders must have completed projects involving grid-connected solar or wind energy, or a mix of both, with a total capacity of 100 MW or more. Among these, at least one project must have a capacity of 50 MW or higher.

Their experience should include arranging land for the project and obtaining technical feasibility approval for power evacuation through a state transmission utility or ISTS substation.

The average annual turnover for any three out of the preceding five financial years, as of the date of bid opening, should not be less than the specified financial figures mentioned below:

• For a total quoted capacity between 50 MW and 300 MW, the minimum average annual turnover must be ₹132.5 million (~$1.59 million).
• For capacities exceeding 300 MW, the required average annual turnover is ₹442,000 (~$5,332)/MW of the total quoted capacity.

Earlier, NTPC REL invited bids for land and transmission system package for the development of up to 2 GW of ISTS-connected solar power projects in Rajasthan (Tranche-III).

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