PFC Consulting, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Power Finance Corporation (PFC), has invited bids to select a transmission service provider to establish an inter-state transmission system (ISTS) to evacuate 3 GW of renewable energy from the Raghanesda area in Gujarat under Phase I.

The last date to submit bids is November 19, 2024.

Bidders must furnish an earnest money deposit of ₹176 million (~$2.1 million).

A 765/400 kV Raghanesda Gas Insulated Substation (GIS) is proposed to evacuate the 3 GW capacity from the Raghanesda region in Banaskantha district.

This substation will include 3×1500 MVA 765/400 kV Interconnecting Transformers (ICTs), along with a 765 kV double-circuit transmission line connecting Raghanesda (GIS) to Banaskantha (PG).

The project’s scheduled commercial operation date is set for 24 months.

The transmission service provider must obtain the necessary transmission license from the regulatory commission.

The designated ISTS customers will pay transmission charges through the Central Transmission Utility (CTU) per the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (Sharing of Inter-State Transmission Charges and Losses) Regulations.

Bidders must meet one of the following technical criteria:

• They should have developed infrastructure projects in the last five years with a total capital expenditure of at least ₹8.8 billion (~$105 million), with no single project costing less than ₹1.76 billion (~$21 million).

The Projects must have been completed at least seven days before the bid deadline, and the bidders must have held at least 26% ownership in the company executing the project from financial closure to commissioning.

• They must have received total payments of at least ₹8.8 billion (~$105 million) for completed infrastructure projects within the last five years, with individual payments for each project being at least ₹1.76 billion (~$21 million).

The payments must have been received seven days before the bid deadline and reflect construction works, excluding land or equipment costs unless part of a turn-key or EPC contract.

Bidders must have a net worth of at least ₹3.52 billion (~$42 million).

Earlier, PFC Consulting invited bids to commission 1,250 MW ISTS-connected solar projects under the program for flexibility in generating and scheduling thermal-hydro power stations through bundling with renewable energy and storage.

PFC Consulting also had invited bids to develop an ISTS to evacuate 7 GW of power from the Khavda Renewable Energy Park under Phase-III, Part A.

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