NTPC Renewable Energy, Sembcorp Green Infra, Solarcraft Power India 8 (Blupine Energy), Hero Solar Energy, and Reliance Power have won the Solar Energy Corporation of India’s (SECI) Tranche XVII auction to develop 2,000 MW of ISTS-connected solar power projects integrated with 1,000 MW/4,000 MWh energy storage systems.

The projects will ensure a guaranteed peak power supply of four hours daily. The tender was floated in August 2024.

NTPC Renewable Energy secured 500 MW of capacity at a tariff of ₹3.52($0.0415)/kWh. Hero Solar Energy also won 270 MW at the same tariff of ₹3.52($0.0415)/kWh.

Sembcorp Green Infra and Solarcraft Power India 8 each obtained 150 MW, matching the ₹3.52 ($0.0415)/kWh tariff.

Reliance Power claimed the largest individual allocation, winning 930 MW at a marginally higher tariff of ₹3.53 ($0.0416)/kWh.

The successful bidders must establish solar projects connected to the ISTS, including the transmission network up to the interconnection or delivery point.

The project developer’s responsibilities include identifying suitable land, installing and owning the project, and obtaining connectivity along with approvals for interconnection with the ISTS network, the State Transmission Utility (STU), or the intra-state transmission system (InSTS) to supply power to SECI.

Developers may locate projects in the same state as the buying entity to facilitate STU interconnection.

The project design must ensure compliance with Central Electricity Regulatory Commission regulations for interconnection with the ISTS or InSTS.

If the project and buying entity are in the same state, the developer may connect the project to the STU or InSTS substation.

Additionally, energy storage systems with a minimum capacity of 0.5 MW/2 MWh must be installed for every 1 MW of project capacity.

The tender specified that only solar modules from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s Approved List of Models and Manufacturers can be used.

Subscribe to Mercom’s India Solar Tender Tracker to stay on top of real-time tender activity.