Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued a tender to set up 1.35 GW inter-state transmission system (ISTS)-connected wind power projects (Tranche-XVI) with a 700 MW greenshoe option.

The projects will be located in Gujarat (1 GW + 500 MW greenshoe), Karnataka (250 MW + 150 MW), and Rajasthan (100 MW + 50 MW).

The last date for the submission of bids is January 10, 2023. Bids will be opened on January 15.

The bid processing fee is ₹500,000 (~$6,000) for each project from 50 MW up to 90 MW and ₹1.5 million (~$18,000) for each project from 100 MW and above.

Bidders must submit an earnest money deposit of ₹1.26 million (~$15,120)/MW/project of the quoted capacity.

Selected bidders must provide a performance bank guarantee of ₹3.16 million (~$37,918) /MW/project of the allotted capacity. They must also pay success charges amounting to ₹100,000 (~$1,199) /MW.

SECI will enter into a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the chosen bidders for acquiring wind power for 25 years.

Bidders must present a bid encompassing a minimum contracted capacity of 50 MW and a maximum of 650 MW.

To connect to the grid and measure electricity, the project developer must adhere to the relevant grid code, grid connectivity standards, communication system regulations, and other rules issued by the appropriate commissions and Central Electricity Authority, which may change over time.

The minimum voltage level for an ISTS connection should be 220 kV.

The declared or revised annual capacity utilization factor (CUF) should always be above 22%. The developer must sustain electricity generation to achieve an annual CUF between 80% and 120% of the declared or revised value throughout the 25-year PPA period.

The tender aims to support well-established technologies to reduce technological uncertainties and ensure timely power generation from the projects.

Only wind turbine models certified in the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s Revised List of Models and Manufacturers must be used.

Bidders must have a net worth of at least ₹12.6 million (~$151,192) /MW of the quoted capacity on the last day of the preceding financial year or at least seven days before the bid submission deadline.

The minimum annual turnover of the bidders should be at least ₹6.13 million (~$73,556)/MW of the quoted capacity during the last financial year.

Alternatively, they can have internal resource generation capability in the form of profit before depreciation, interest, and taxes should be at least ₹1.22 million (~$14,639)/MW of the quoted capacity as of the last day of the previous financial year.

Bidders with an approval letter from the lending institutions committing a line of credit for a minimum of ₹1.53 million (~$18,359)/MW of the quoted capacity toward meeting the working capital requirement of the project will also qualify to submit bids.

In August, SECI issued a tender for selecting project developers to set up 1.3 GW ISTS-connected wind power projects (Tranche-XV) in India.

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