Technical bids totaling 2,190 MW have been submitted by nine project developers for the capacity of 1,200 MW in Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI)’s Tranche-V interstate transmission system (ISTS)-connected wind tender.

Per Mercom’s source at one of the bidding companies, “Five developers have bid for 300 MW each. These are ReNew Power, Sitac/EDF, Alfanar, Mytrah and Adani; two bidders, Hero and Continuum have bid for 200 MW each and Torrent Wind Power bid for 115 MW and Ecoren for 175 MW.

Mercom had previously reported that SECI had cancelled the undersubscribed 2 GW Tranche-V ISTS-connected wind tender which was introduced in May 2018. Later, SECI modified the 2.5 GW of ISTS-connected wind tendered under Tranche-VI, and then retendered 1.2 GW under Tranche-V.

This was done keeping in mind the persistent scarcity of transmission connectivity, plaguing renewable energy projects. There is growing skepticism on whether India’s transmission infrastructure is equipped to handle the influx of new intermittent renewable power generation.  The nation’s increasing renewable energy capacity has recently prompted a number of states to propose deviation charges anticipating challenges in integrating intermittent renewables onto the grid.

But, the high interest shown by bidders this time around, is the silver lining for implementing agencies, and something to buoy the spirits of the industry.