Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has invited bids to select renewable energy developers to supply 1 GW firm and dispatchable power from Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS)-connected projects (Tranche-FDRE-V) in India.

The last date for the submission of bids is January 9, 2024. Bids will be opened on January 12.

The developer is responsible for establishing ISTS-connected power projects, including the transmission network up to the interconnection/delivery points.

The developer’s responsibilities include identifying land, installing and owning the projects, obtaining connectivity, necessary approvals, and interconnection with the ISTS network/State Transmission Utility (STU) or Intra-State Transmission System to supply power to SECI.

If STU interconnection is required, the developer may install the project in the same state where the buying entity is located.

While the projects selected under this program are intended for deploying renewable energy projects, the selection process is technology-agnostic, allowing for flexibility in choosing renewable energy technologies.

The projects must be designed to connect to the ISTS substation at a voltage level of 220 kV or higher.

Energy storage systems must be an integral part of the project. A storage system charged using a source other than renewables will not be considered renewable power.

Bidders have to submit ₹1.5 million (~$18,000) + 18% GST for each project as bid processing fee.

They must provide an earnest money deposit calculated as ₹ [928,000 (~$11,136) * S + 1,264,000 (~$15,168) * W] * D + 3,66,000 * E, where:

S: Rated Installed Capacity of Solar component (in MW)

W: Rated Installed Capacity of Wind component and other RE sources (in MW)

E: Rated cumulative Installed Capacity of ESS component (in MWh)

D: Multiplication factor (A/B)

A: Annual Energy to be supplied (6089096 * C kWh), where C is the Contracted Capacity of the Project (in MW)

B: Annual Energy to be supplied based on committed capacity [(S * 0.26 + W * 0.35) * 8766 * 1000 – 0.20 * Z kWh]

Z: Annual Energy proposed through ESS (in kWh)

A bidder, along with its parent, affiliate, or ultimate parent or any group company, is required to submit a single bid offering a cumulative contracted capacity ranging from a minimum of 50 MW to a maximum of 500 MW, following the prescribed formats.

The projects can be situated anywhere in India. For a single project, renewable energy generation components, including storage, can either be co-located or located at different sites. These various project components can connect to the ISTS network at different substations.

To optimize the operation of the generating systems, the developer can supply power beyond the contracted capacity in any time block to a third party or power exchange without needing a no-objection certificate from SECI or the buying entity.

SECI will accept the partial commencement of power supply from the project under the condition that the minimum capacity for the acceptance of the first and subsequent parts will be 50 MW, with the last part constituting the remaining contracted capacity.

The tender aims to support only well-established and operational technologies to minimize technology risk and ensure the timely initiation of power supply from the projects.

To ensure the installation of high-quality systems and take advantage of the latest developments/models, wind turbine models certified by type and listed in the Revised List of Models and Manufacturers issued by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy until the scheduled commercial operation date (SCSD) of the project will be permitted.

The guidelines outlined in the MNRE’s Order on “Approved Models and Manufacturers of Solar Photovoltaic Modules (Requirement of Compulsory Registration) Order, 2019-Implementation-Reg.,” will be applicable and solar modules and balance of systems used in the projects must be included in List-I under the order.

The Bidders’ net worth should be equal to or greater than the amount calculated based on the installed capacity break-up quoted. The minimum net worth requirement must be ten times the amount payable as part of the EMD.

For instance, if the calculated EMD is ₹5 million ($59,993), the minimum net worth requirement would be ₹5 million x 10, i.e., ₹50 million ($599,937). Bidders must demonstrate this net worth amount as of the last day of the previous financial year.

Last month, SECI invited bids to select renewable energy developers to supply 800 MW firm and dispatchable power from ISTS-connected renewable energy projects, including energy storage systems, under tariff-based competitive bidding.

Earlier, SECI had invited bids for selecting renewable energy developers for the supply of 1.5 GW firm and dispatchable power from ISTS-connected renewable energy projects under tariff-based competitive bidding.

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