NTPC Limited, NLC India, Project Ten Renewable Power (Ayana Renewable Power), and Azure Power were declared winners in the Solar Energy Corporation of India’s (SECI) auction for 1,200 MW interstate transmission system (ISTS)-connected wind-solar hybrid power projects (Tranche-IV) on a build, own, and operate basis across India.

NTPC won a capacity of 450 MW, NLC India (150 MW), and Ayana Renewable (450 MW), each quoting ₹2.34 (~$0.031)/kWh. Azure Power quoted ₹2.35 (~$0.032)/kWh for 300 MW but was only awarded 150 MW under the bucket filling method.

The discovered tariff of ₹2.34 (~$0.031)/kWh is 3% lower than the lowest bid of ₹2.41 (~$0.0326)/kWh, discovered in the wind-solar hybrid the auction held in December last year.

SECI had floated the tender in April this year. According to the tender document, the hybrid power projects had to be designed for interconnection with the transmission network of the central transmission utility at the voltage level of 220 kV or above. The hybrid power project should comprise two components – one solar and one wind power project. The rated installed project capacity of either of the two components should be at least 33% of the contracted capacity.

To ensure only quality systems are installed, the wind turbine models listed in the Revised List of Models and Manufacturers (RLMM) issued by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy will have to be used.

Last December, three companies had won 1.2 GW of solar-wind hybrid projects quoting a tariff of ₹2.41 (~$0.0326)/kWh – the lowest-ever for solar-wind hybrid projects. The Tariff was discovered in SECI’s auction for setting up 1.2 GW of interstate transmission-connected wind-solar hybrid power projects under Tranche III of the ISTS program.

ABC Renewable Energy, a subsidiary of Axis Energy, was awarded 380 MW of projects, Adani Renewable Energy Holding Eight Limited was awarded 600 MW, and AMP Energy was awarded 130 MW for ₹2.41 (0.0326)/kWh. ACME Solar quoted ₹2.42 (~$0.0327)/kWh for 300 MW of projects but was only awarded 90 MW under the bucket-filling method.

Earlier, Adani Green Energy had emerged as the lowest bidder in SECI’s auction for 1,200 MW of ISTS-connected solar-wind hybrid power projects under Tranche-II. Adani Green Energy had quoted a tariff of ₹2.69 (~$0.0387)/kWh to set up 600 MW of solar-wind hybrid projects.

According to Mercom’s India Solar Tender Tracker, SECI has issued a total of  3.6 GW of wind-solar hybrid tenders under Tranche – I, II & III, out of which 2.76 GW of capacity has been auctioned.