The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has invited bids to develop 400 MW of interstate transmission system (ISTS)-connected wind-solar hybrid power projects (Tranche IX).

The projects must be commissioned within 24 months of signing the power purchase agreement (PPA).

The last day to submit the bids is July 29, 2024. Bids will be opened on August 1.

The cost of the bidding documents is ₹50,000 (~$599). The bid processing fee is ₹20,000 (~$239)/ MW.

Bidders must furnish an earnest money deposit of ₹942,000 (~$11,302) x rated cumulative installed capacity of solar component in MW + ₹1.29 million (~$15,476) x rated cumulative installed capacity of wind component in MW.

Selected bidders must submit a performance bank guarantee of ₹2.35 million (~$28,192) x MW of solar component + ₹3.24 million (~$38,870) x MW of wind component.

They must also submit a success charge of ₹100,000 (~$1,199)/MW and a payment security deposit of ₹0.02 (~$0.00024)/kWh.

Bidders must have a net worth of ₹9.42 million (~$113,015) x MW of solar component + ₹12.98 million (~$155,725) x MW of wind component as of the last of the previous financial year.

The minimum annual turnover of the bidders should be at least ₹9.02 million (~$108,216)/MW of the quoted capacity during the last financial year.

The internal resource generation capability in the form of profit before depreciation, interest, and taxes should be at least ₹1.8 million (~$21,594)/MW of the quoted capacity as of the last day of the previous financial year.

Bidders should have an approval letter from lending institutions committing a line of credit for a minimum of ₹2.25 million (~$26,993)/MW of the quoted capacity toward meeting the working capital requirement of the project.

Under this tender, a hybrid power project will mean a project comprising 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.

The declared annual capacity utilization factor (CUF) should not be less than 30%. The developer should maintain the energy supply to achieve a CUF not less than 90% of the declared value and not more than 120% of the declared CUF value during the PPA duration of 25 years.

Only wind turbine models from the Revised List of Models and Manufacturers and modules registered in the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers issued by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy will be allowed for deployment.

In SECI’s Tranche VIII wind-solar hybrid auction, Juniper Green Energy, Asurarai Renewables, AMPIN Energy, Adyant Enersol, JSW Energy, and Avaada Energy were declared winners.

According to Mercom’s India Solar Tender Tracker, SECI has issued  9.82 GW of wind-solar hybrid tenders in eight tranches.