SJVN Green Energy (SJVN), Megha Engineering & Infrastructures (MEIL), and Avaada Energy were amongst the winners of MSEB Solar Agro Power’s (MSAPL) auction to procure over 7 GW solar power under Component C of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) program.

The projects tendered by MSAPL, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Maharashtra State Electricity Board MSEB Holding Company, will be developed under the second phase of the Mukhyamantri Saur Krushi Vahini Yojana program.

SJVN won 1,352 MW capacity by quoting a minimum tariff of ₹3.02 (~$0.0365)/kWh and a maximum tariff of ₹3.10 (~$0.0374)/kWh. Megha Engineering won 1,880 MW with tariffs in the range of ₹3.08 (~$0.0372)/kWh and ₹3.10 (~$0.0374)/kWh, whereas Avaada Energy won 1,132 MW at ₹3.10 (~$0.0374)/kWh.

Maharashtra State Power Generation Company (MAHAGENCO) won 1,071 MW at a maximum tariff of ₹3.10 (~$0.0374)/kWh.

The other winners are NACOF Oorja (990 MW), Torrent Power (306 MW), Integrated Induction Power (IIPL) (302 MW), Reliance Industries (179 MW), and Sunstream Green Energy (100 MW).

A total of 7,783 MW was awarded during the auction.

The tariff range and the capacities bid by the winners are as mentioned in the table.

SJVN plans to develop a total of 1,352 MW capacity with a total investment of ₹74.36 billion (~$897.51 million) at various locations in the Nashik, Solapur, Ahmednagar, and Pune districts of Maharashtra.

Avaada Group will install the 1,132 MW solar power projects across 192 locations in 10 districts.

Torrent Power announced that it would deploy 306 MW capacity across 48 locations across Nasik district for an estimated cost of ₹15.4 billion (~$185.87 million).

The other winners who secured capacities less than 100 MW each include companies as well as individual entities, cumulatively accounting for 471 MW of the auctioned capacity.

The winners comprised 20 companies and 29 individual entities.

The scope of work for the selected developers includes ownership, financing, development, design, engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of the project, including the evacuation infrastructure up to the delivery point.

The tender has mandated the use of domestically manufactured modules listed on the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers issued by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

The modules must ensure a capacity utilization factor of 19%.

MSAPL has leased 1,686 acres of revenue land from the Maharashtra government under land lease agreements. The annual sub-lease rent for such revenue land will be ₹1 (~$0.012)/ hectare.

If bidders require private land, MSAPL has compiled a list of private land parcels available for lease on its portal. The base lease rent for such private lands will be ₹125,000 (~$1,503)/hectare/annum or 6% of the ready reckoner rate, whichever is higher, with a provision of 3% escalation annually.

If the developers intend to use any other land, they must lease or procure 100% of the required land for a period not less than the complete term of PPA on or before the scheduled commission date.

Recently, the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company invited bids for the procurement of power on a long-term basis through a competitive bidding process from 5,000 MW grid-connected solar photovoltaic power projects.

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