The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued a notification stating that the request for selection (RfS) for setting up of 2.5 GW grid-connected solar PV projects in Kargil region will be issued by December 31, 2018.

This capacity comes under phase-I of the government’s plan to set up of 23 GW in the Leh and Kargil Regions, Jammu & Kashmir.

Earlier, SECI had announced that the RfS document is likely to be issued by December 15, 2018.

Recently in November 2018, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) announced a plan for the implementation of 23 GW of ultra mega solar projects in the Leh and Ladakh regions of Jammu & Kashmir.

Mercom also reported that the SECI would be the implementing agency of these projects. The grid-connected solar PV projects are planned to be set up in the Pang region in Leh and in the Zangla region in Kargil. The 2,500 MW grid-connected solar PV project is tentatively planned to be in New Wanpoh region and the 5,000 MW grid-connected solar PV project is tentatively planned to be in Hisar.

The scope of work would include the setting up of the grid-connected solar PV projects along with implementation of the entire power evacuation infrastructure (substations along with transmission lines), up to the drawl point.

A single tender would be issued for the selection of the project developer, who would be responsible for the setting up of the project along with the power evacuation infrastructure.

Speaking at the CII’s Government and Business Partnership Conclave in August, the Minister of Power, Mr. R.K. Singh had said, “We have 35 GW of installation potential in Ladakh. We will come out with single bid of 25 GW with storage and delivery at Una.”

This will be India’s largest tender so far in terms of the capacity envisaged. In December 2017, SECI had invited Expression of Interest (EoI) from prospective project developers to set up of 10 GW of floating solar PV projects in a phased manner in the next three years. Around the same time, SECI also invited EoI from prospective manufacturers to set up an integrated solar manufacturing facility totaling 20 GW in India within a three-year time-frame. Both these mega tenders are yet to reach the auction stage.

Nitin is a staff reporter at Mercomindia.com and writes on renewable energy and related sectors. Prior to Mercom, Nitin has worked for CNN IBN, India News, Agricultural Spectrum and Bureaucracy Today. He received his bachelor’s degree in Journalism & Communication from Manipal Institute of Communication at Manipal University and Master’s degree in International Relations from Jindal School of International Affairs. More articles from Nitin Kabeer