The Electricity Department of Puducherry has invited bids for contractors’ empanelment to install 30 MW of grid-connected rooftop solar systems ranging from 1 kW to 500 kW on residential buildings.  The systems will have net metering facility.

The projects will be developed under the capital expenditure (CAPEX) model as a part of the implementation of the second phase of the grid-connected rooftop solar program of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

Apart from site survey, design, installation, supply, erection, testing, and commissioning of the rooftop solar systems, the successful bidder will also have to take care of the operation and maintenance (O&M) of the projects for five years.

The last date to submit the bids is November 20, 2020, and the pre-bid meeting will take place on October 21, 2020. Interested bidders will have to pay an amount of ₹200,000 (~$2,730) as the earnest money deposit (EMD).

Mercom had previously reported that the Puducherry electricity department had invited an expression of interest for 30 MW of solar power projects.

Under this project, central financial assistance (CFA) of up to 40% will be given for systems up to 3 kW. In contrast, for systems above 3 kW and up to 10 kW, a CFA of 40% would be applicable only for the first 3 kW capacity, and for others, it has been set at 20%.

There are over 25 empanelment tenders tracked by Mercom’s India solar tender tracker.

However, the discovered project cost should not exceed the applicable benchmark cost set by the MNRE.

For projects in the range of 1 kW to 3 kW, 3 kW to 10 kW, and 1 kW to 10 kW with module mounting structure above one meter, the bidder should have designed, supplied, and commissioned grid-connected solar projects having an aggregate capacity not less than 100 kW before the submission date.

Regarding the financial eligibility criteria, the bidder’s annual turnover should be ₹2.5 million (~$34,130) in any of the previous three financial years.

For projects in the range of 10 kW to 100 KW and 100 KW to 500 KW, the bidder should have commissioned solar projects having an aggregate capacity not less than 200 kW, which should have been commissioned before the bid submission date.

Regarding the financial eligibility, the bidder’s annual turnover should be ₹20 million (~$273,045) in any one of the last three financial years. The bidder’s net worth should be at least ₹20 million (~$273,045).

According to Mercom’s India Solar Project Tracker, nearly 7.4 MW of rooftop solar projects have been installed in Puducherry so far.

In May last year, the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission had issued draft net metering regulations to promote rooftop installations in the union territories including Puducherry.