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					</table><p><a href="https://ntpc.co.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NTPC</a> has invited bids for two years comprehensive operation and maintenance (O&amp;M) of 56.3 MW solar power projects at Kawas in Surat, Gujarat.</p>
<p>The Kawas project includes a 31.25 MW ground-mounted and a 25 MW floating solar project. It also comprises a 52.5 kW rooftop solar system on the administrative building of NTPC&#8217;s Kawas gas power plant.</p>
<p>The ground-mounted project is on 137 acres of land, and the floating project is on an 84-acre reservoir.</p>
<p>Bids must be submitted by June 6, 2025. Bids will be opened on the same day.</p>
<p>Bidders must furnish an earnest money deposit of ₹1 million (~$11,742).</p>
<p>The project’s bid value is estimated at ₹110.11 million (~$1.29 million).</p>
<p>A portion of the monthly bill, amounting to 5%, will be kept on hold for safety compliance. It will be released every quarter.</p>
<p>The ground-mounted and floating solar power projects provide electricity to Telangana&#8217;s power distribution companies through the 220 kV NTPC Kawas substation.</p>
<p>The project&#8217;s defect liability is three months.</p>
<p>Successful bidders must complete all activities necessary for the solar project&#8217;s safe and efficient operation.</p>
<p>They must conduct preventive and breakdown maintenance and provide spare parts. They must also perform the project&#8217;s periodic overhauls, clean the drains and cable trenches, and ensure visits by O&amp;M experts to maximize the project&#8217;s availability.</p>
<p>The scope of work also includes daily tasks such as monitoring and logging the project&#8217;s voltage, current, power factor, power, temperature, and energy output. The O&amp;M for equipment must be provided up to the power evacuation point.</p>
<p>Successful bidders must use supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) to monitor the project equipment&#8217;s operating status. The control room must be staffed 24 hours on all days.</p>
<p>Modules must be washed daily except during the high-load periods. Module washing must only be conducted when the load is under 20% of the installed capacity.</p>
<p>Deviation charges will not be included in the project&#8217;s scope.</p>
<p>Selected bidders must have comprehensive maintenance contracts for inverters, transformers, SCADA, and communication systems. They must also maintain a monthly inverter availability factor of 99.5%.</p>
<p>NTPC&#8217;s original equipment manufacturer provides an extended warranty for solar modules, power conditioning unit systems, and SCADA for 10 years. This warranty will be applicable during the two-year O&amp;M period.</p>
<p>Failure to complete any maintenance activity beyond 30 days will attract liquidated damages of 20% of the activity. The yearly deductions will be limited to 10% of the annual O&amp;M cost.</p>
<p>Bidders must have installed and commissioned at least a 10 MW solar project in the past seven years.</p>
<p>Alternatively, they must have conducted O&amp;M for a solar project of at least 10 MW for one year in the last seven years.</p>
<p>Bidders must also have a minimum financial turnover of ₹46.7 million (~$548,361) in the previous three years.</p>
<p>Recently, NTPC Green Energy <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/ntpc-green-tender-acquire-solar-projects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited</a> expressions of interest from renewable energy companies having power purchase agreements with intermediary procurers to acquire solar projects with a minimum cumulative capacity of 50 MW.</p>
<p>Subscribe to Mercom&#8217;s <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/product/india-solar-tender-tracker" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India Solar Tender Tracker</a> to stay on top of the real-time tender activity.</p>


NTPC Floats O&M Tender for 56 MW Solar Project in Gujarat


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					</table><p>The <a href="https://zpratnagiri.gov.in/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ratnagiri Zilla Parishad</a> in Maharashtra was incurring a steep electricity bill of ₹91.6 million (~$1.07 million) a year on powering streetlights that the 846 gram panchayats had to pay. Last year, the local body hit upon a revolutionary idea to bring down its power bills. But it did not opt for the oft-trodden path of rooftop solar. Instead, it went in for a 1 MW ground-mounted solar project.</p>
<p>Commissioned on August 15, 2024, the unipolar-tracked seasonal-tilt solar project is claimed to be the first of its kind for any local self-governing body. A brainchild of the then Zilla Parishad’s CEO, Keerthi Kiran Pujar, the project used barren government land.</p>
<p>Pujar realized that rooftop solar has its limitations. While the capital investment is less, and land is not required for rooftop solar, net metering with distributed meter connections can be challenging. Imagine streetlights in dozens of locations and the logistics and equipment involved – inverters, meters, and batteries.</p>
<p>The Zilla Parishad zeroed in on two main requirements, land and funds, both available with the gram panchayats. Since the government is the biggest landowner, plenty of revenue land was lying unused. Funds were not a constraint since they could always dip into assured money in the District Planning Committee (DPC) budget, 3% of which is earmarked for renewable energy development.</p>
<p>The Zilla Parishad entered into an agreement with one of the gram panchayats for five acres to set up the solar project. In exchange for the land, the Zilla Parishad agreed to pay for all the gram panchayat’s public utility light bills, not just for streetlights but also for meeting the power needs of schools and anganwadis (creches).</p>
<p>Funds came from the DPC under the 3% renewable energy head. The Zilla Parishad hired a consultant to prepare the detailed project report, after which technical approval was secured from the Maharashtra Energy Development Agency. Grid connectivity and other permissions were obtained from the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company.</p>
<p>The project, which generates 1.9 million units of electricity a year, took about eight months for commissioning. The solar panels, mounting structures, transformers, and the 11 kV line to the substation cost about ₹83 million (~$977,452).</p>
<p>To sell the excess power from the project, the Zilla Parishad signed an open access power purchase agreement (PPA) with a private company at a tariff of ₹4.50 (~$0.053)/kWh, much more than the ₹3.30 (~$0.039)/kWh offered by the state distribution companies.</p>
<p>The ₹8.5 million (~$99,805) revenue earned from the project, minus the maintenance charges, will be distributed equitably to all the gram panchayats in proportion to their size and population.</p>
<p>With this project, the local body will save on electricity bills and ensure a hedge against any future tariff increases with a 25-year PPA.</p>
<p>Pujar mentions in his blog, “It takes a bit of idealism, foolhardiness, and a calculated risk to do something like this.”</p>
<p>The 1 MW project has demonstrated that local bodies can utilize barren land to generate power at scale, which can be exported. Maintenance is easy because the project is in one centralized location.</p>
<p>Spurred by the success of the first ground-mounted solar project, the Zilla Parishad is starting its second such project in the Guhagar block, with a third one <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/ratnagiri-zilla-parishad-in-maharashtra-tenders-1-mw-solar-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener">planned</a> for the Ratnagiri block. Eventually, each of the nine blocks will have a 1 MW project.</p>
<p>Pujar, now District Collector at Dharashiv, feels a combination of rooftop solar and ground-mounted projects can nudge rural India towards carbon neutrality. “The potential is just waiting to be exploited,” he said.</p>


A New Business Model for Ground-Mounted Solar at the Grassroots


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					</table><p>The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (<a href="https://kerc.karnataka.gov.in/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KERC</a>) has proposed a tariff of ₹2.3 (~$0.026)/kWh for rooftop solar projects under PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana with a maximum capacity of 2 kW, ₹2.48 (~$0.028)/KWh for projects between 2 kW and 3 kW, and ₹2.93 (~$0.033)/kWh for projects above 3 kW.</p>
<p>The Commission has also invited stakeholders’ comments on the proposed tariff by April 15, 2025.</p>
<p>In earlier guidelines for rooftop solar power projects under the PM Surya Ghar program, KERC had proposed a tariff of 2.25 (~$0.026)/kWh for projects of up to 2 kW capacity, ₹2.43 (~$0.028)/kWh for projects between 2 kW and 3 kW, and ₹2.62 (~$0.03)/kWh for projects above 3 kW.</p>
<p>The Commission also proposed a tariff ₹3.47 (~$0.04)/kWh for rooftop solar projects (without subsidy) of up to 10 kW capacity and ₹3.08 (~$0.035)/kWh for projects above 10 kW.</p>
<p><a href="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/KERC-2.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-77693 size-full" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/KERC-2.png" alt="" width="708" height="786" srcset="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/KERC-2.png 708w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/KERC-2-270x300.png 270w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/KERC-2-650x722.png 650w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/KERC-2-624x693.png 624w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/KERC-2-600x666.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 708px) 100vw, 708px" /></a></p>
<p>The Karnataka regulator also proposed guidelines for virtual and group net metering.</p>
<p>In December 2024, KERC <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/karnataka-eases-rooftop-for-systems-up-to-10-kw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> an order to simplify the adoption of rooftop solar systems for consumers with sanctioned loads of up to 10 kW.</p>
<p>The Commission proposed a tariff of ₹2.92 (~$0.033)/kWh for ground-mounted solar power projects.</p>
<p>The proposed tariff has dropped from the earlier amount of ₹3.04 (~$0.035)/kWh for MW-scale solar projects. It also included ₹3.79/kWh for power projects up to 10 kW and ₹3.2 (~$0.037)/kWh for projects above 10 kW.<a href="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/KERC-3.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-77702 size-full" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/KERC-3.png" alt="" width="636" height="653" srcset="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/KERC-3.png 636w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/KERC-3-292x300.png 292w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/KERC-3-624x641.png 624w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/KERC-3-600x616.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 636px) 100vw, 636px" /></a></p>
<p>The decision was taken after considering the following parameters:</p>
<ul>
<li>The useful life of the installation was proposed at 25 years</li>
<li>The capacity utilization factor was proposed at 19%</li>
<li>The debt-equity ratio and genetic tariff determination have been proposed at 70:30 for all solar power projects</li>
<li>The capital cost for rooftop solar power projects up to 10 kW has been proposed at ₹35,000 (~$405.36)/kW</li>
<li>The capital cost for rooftop solar power projects above 10 kW has been proposed at ₹30,000 (~$347.45)/kW</li>
<li>The capital cost for ground-mounted solar projects has been proposed at ₹30.05 million (~$0.35)/MW</li>
<li>The operation and maintenance expenses have been estimated at ₹791.314 (~$9.16)/kW for rooftop solar power projects and ₹594,500 (~$6,885.32)/MW for ground-mounted solar power projects. It will also include an annual escalation of 5.72%</li>
<li>The Commission has proposed an 11.10% per annum interest rate for 13 years of tenure for project loans</li>
<li>The interest rate on working capital has been proposed at 11.50% per annum. It will be based on one month’s receivables for rooftop solar projects and two months’ receivables for ground-mounted solar projects</li>
<li>The Commission has allowed a depreciation rate of 5.38% for rooftop solar projects and 5.667% per annum for ground-mounted solar projects. Depreciation will be permitted on 90% of the capital cost recoverable in the first 13 years and the remaining 10% in the next 12 years</li>
<li>Return on equity has been proposed at 14% per annum.</li>
<li>The discount rate has been proposed at 11.97%</li>
<li>The Commission allowed 0.25% auxiliary consumption for ground-mounted solar power projects and none for rooftop solar power projects</li>
<li>Virtual and group net metering were introduced into the electricity distribution framework</li>
</ul>
<p>The Commission also proposed the following guidelines:</p>
<p><strong>Guidelines for Virtual and Group Net Metering</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Consumers of all categories can install solar projects under virtual net metering under capex or third-party investment mode. However, only the same category consumers must join under virtual net metering</li>
<li>The minimum size must be set at 5 kW, and the maximum up to sanctioned land or contract demand of all participating consumers</li>
<li>Prosumers may set up solar projects to meet the power requirement of more than one electrical service under the same name and category. The projects must also be located within the same distribution company (DISCOM) supply area</li>
<li>If the service connection of any participating consumer is disconnected, the unadjusted units will be paid for by the DISCOMs at the end of the financial year</li>
<li>Consumers must have a smart meter</li>
<li>If the energy exported exceeds the units consumed by the consumer, the surplus units will be carried forward in the subsequent billing periods</li>
<li>The DISCOM will purchase unadjusted units of electricity at the end of the financial year at 75% of the genetic tariff. The cumulative quantum of injected electricity carried forwards will be reset to zero at the start of each settlement period</li>
<li>Electricity consumed within any time block will be compensated within a similar time block</li>
<li>If the energy injected into the grid exceeds the import of units, the surplus units injected will be carried forward to the next billing cycle as energy credits</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Virtual Net Metering Guidelines</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>The energy generated from the solar project will be credited per the procurement ratio mentioned in the power purchase agreement</li>
<li>Consumers can change the energy credit ratio by submitting a new power purchase agreement once every year. They must provide three months’ advance notice for changing the ratio</li>
<li>Any surplus generation over consumption in any time block will be accounted as surplus energy generated in the off-peak time block</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Group Net Metering Guidelines</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Energy generated from the solar project will be credited to the electricity bill of each participating connection per the priority listed in the connectivity agreement with the DISCOM</li>
<li>The priority list for adjusting the balance surplus energy may be revised once at the start of the financial year with advanced notice of three months.</li>
<li>Any surplus generation over consumption in any time block will be accounted as surplus energy within off-peak time blocks for the time-of-the-day consumers and normal time blocks for non-time-of-the-day consumers</li>
</ul>
<p>Subscribe to Mercom’s real-time <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/mercoms-renewable-energy-regulatory-updates/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Regulatory Updates</a> to ensure you don’t miss any critical updates from the renewable industry.</p>


KERC Proposes Tariff of ₹2.93/kWh for PM Surya Ghar Projects Above 3 kW


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					</table><p>The Telangana Power Generation Corporation (<a href="https://tggenco.com/TGGENCO" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TGGENCO</a>) has invited bids to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) for solar projects with a cumulative capacity of 56 MW.</p>
<p>Bids must be submitted by March 21, 2025. Bids will be opened on the same day.</p>
<p>The project’s estimated contract value is ₹1.3 million (~$15,002).</p>
<p>Bidders must submit a transaction fee of 0.03% of the contract value with a cap of ₹10,000 (~$115.39) for a quoted value of ₹500 million (~$5.7 million). Transaction fee for works with a value above ₹500 million (~$5.7 million) is ₹25,000 (~$288.49).</p>
<p>They must submit a security deposit of 2.5% of the contract value.</p>
<p>Bidders must also submit an earnest money deposit of ₹6,480 (~$74.77) and a permanent fixed deposit of ₹250,000 (~$2,884.97).</p>
<p>Successful bidders must submit a corpus fund of 0.04% of the contract value with a cap of ₹10,000 (~$115.39) for all works valued up to ₹500 million (~$5.7 million). The corpus requirement for works above ₹500 million (~$5.7 million) is ₹25,000 (~$288.49).</p>
<p>The scope of work entails preparing a detailed report for the following projects:</p>
<ul>
<li>A 15 MW floating solar project on a raw water reservoir at Yadadri Thermal Power Station</li>
<li>A 28 MW ground-mounted solar power project on empty land at Kakatiya Thermal Power Project</li>
<li>A 13 MW floating solar project on a raw water reservoir at Kakatiya Thermal Project</li>
</ul>
<p>Bidders must have prior experience providing consultancy services for feasibility study and preparing DPRs. They must also have executed works for at least one floating solar power project and one ground-mounted solar power project anywhere in India in the last five financial years.</p>
<p>Bidders must have a minimum annual financial turnover of ₹388,800 (~$4,486.71) for at least two of the last three financial years.</p>
<p>Last month, Telangana <a href="https://mercomindia.com/telangana-aims-for-20-gw-renewable-energy-capacity-additions-by-2030#:~:text=Telangana%20Aims%20for%2020%20GW%20Renewable%20Energy%20Capacity%20Additions%20by%202030,-TGGENCO%2FTGREDCO%20will&amp;text=Telangana%20has%20finalized%20its%20renewable,draft%20version%20of%20the%20policy." target="_blank" rel="noopener">finalized</a> its renewable energy policy for 2025, planning to add 20,000 MW of renewable energy and storage capacity additions by 2030. The policy will be valid until 2035.</p>
<p>In 2024, the Northern Power Distribution Company of Telangana <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/telangana-discom-floats-tenders-for-3-mw-solar-power-projects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> two tenders for 3 MW ground-mounted solar power projects in Karimnagar and Sircilla districts. The project must be completed within six months.</p>
<p>Subscribe to Mercom’s <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/india-solar-tender-tracker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India Solar Tender Tracker</a> to stay on top of real-time tender activity.</p>


Telangana Invites Bids for DPR of 56 MW Solar Projects


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					</table><p>The West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company (<a href="https://www.wbsedcl.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WBSEDCL</a>) has invited bids for providing engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services for cumulative 20 MW ground-mounted solar projects in Birbhum district, West Bengal.</p>
<p>Bids must be submitted by February 17, 2025.</p>
<p>Selected bidders must design, engineer, manufacture or procure, supply, install, test, and commission two projects each of 10 MW at Gangapur-I &amp; Gangapur-II under Rajnagar Block of Birbhum, District. They must also provide warrantee obligations with comprehensive operation and maintenance of the project for five years.</p>
<p>Bidders must submit an earnest money deposit of ₹11.3 million (~$130,657) each for the Gangapur Phase I and II projects.</p>
<p>Each project’s estimated cost is ₹565.1 million (~$6.53 million).</p>
<p>Successful bidders must complete the projects within a year of the tender being awarded.</p>
<p>To be eligible, bidders must have experience in executing similar scope of work of at least one project of 50% of the proposed capacity, two projects of 40% of the proposed capacity, and three projects of at least 30% of the proposed project capacity in the last five years.</p>
<p>Alternatively, they must have experience as EPC contractors in the last five years executing single projects costing a minimum of ₹220 million (~$2.54 million), two projects costing ₹170 million (~$1.96 million) each, and three projects costing ₹130 million (~$1.5 million) each.</p>
<p>They must have experience completing at least one electrical substation of 33 kV or above voltage level comprising components such as a power transformer and a circuit breaker of a minimum 33 kV voltage level. The project must have been operational for at least one year.</p>
<p>Bidders must have also completed the following works in the last five financial years:</p>
<ul>
<li>A single work of 50% of estimated costs in solar power projects or non-solar sectors.</li>
<li>Two works of 40% of estimated costs in on-grid solar power projects or non-solar sectors.</li>
<li>Three works of 30% of estimated costs in on-grid solar power projects or non-solar sectors.</li>
</ul>
<p>Bidders must have a minimum annual turnover of 30% of the estimated cost of the projects in the last three financial years.</p>
<p>Bidders quoting for both projects must meet the qualification criteria for the cumulative capacity quoted.</p>
<p>Bidders must ensure net minimum guaranteed generation of 15.29 MU/year for the first year and at a reducing rate of 0.8% per year for subsequent years of plant life. Solar mono PERC modules with power rating of more than 540 W must be used for the project.</p>
<p>WBSEDCL <a href="https://mercomindia.com/west-bengal-invites-bids-solar-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited</a> bids to build a 10 MW solar power project on a turnkey basis along the Teesta Canal bank in Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal.</p>
<p>Subscribe to Mercom’s <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/product/india-solar-tender-tracker" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India Solar Tender Tracker</a> to stay on top of the real-time tender activity.</p>


West Bengal Floats EPC Tender for 20 MW Solar Projects


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					</table><p>Gujarat-based <a href="https://onixrenewable.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Onix Renewable</a> has invited expressions of interest (EoI) to set up 1,959 MW ground-mounted, fixed-tilt solar power projects across 252 locations in Maharashtra.</p>
<p>Onix will supply the solar modules and inverters for the projects.</p>
<p>Bids must be submitted by January 17, 2025.</p>
<p>Bidders must submit an earnest money deposit of ₹50,000 (~$582)/MW.</p>
<p>Selected bidders must design, engineer, procure, supply, erect, test, and commission the solar projects in an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) mode. They must also provide operation and maintenance services for three years.</p>
<p>Selected bidders must maintain a minimum 19% capacity utilization factor by the end of 25 years. They must also provide the interconnection at the 11kV grid network and build the required transmission line and substation end works.</p>
<p><a href="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/ONIX-img2.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-75202 size-full" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/ONIX-img2.png" alt="" width="407" height="482" srcset="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/ONIX-img2.png 407w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/ONIX-img2-253x300.png 253w" sizes="(max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" /></a></p>
<p>Bidders must have designed, engineered, supplied, erected, tested, commissioned, and maintained ground-mounted solar projects for three months as an EPC contractor.</p>
<p>Bidders for projects up to 50 MW must have EPC experience with at least one 5 MW ground-mounted solar project at a single location. Alternatively, they must have worked on 20 MW ground-mounted solar projects at multiple locations.</p>
<p>Bidders for projects above 50 MW must have worked on a 1 MW ground-mounted solar project for every additional 5 MW quoted. Alternatively, they must have worked on 3 MW solar power projects for every additional 5 MW bid above 50 MW.</p>
<p>Bidders for projects up to 50 MW must have an annual turnover of ₹250 million (~$2.91 million). They must have an annual turnover of ₹25 million (~$291,010) for every additional bid for 5 MW.</p>
<p>Bidders must have had a positive net worth in the last three financial years.</p>
<p>In May 2024, the Gujarat government <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/gujarat-awards-solar-projects-pm-kusum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">awarded</a> 479 MW of solar projects to various developers including Onix Renewable (1847.4 MW) under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Uthan Mahabhiyaan.</p>
<p>Subscribe to Mercom’s <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/india-solar-tender-tracker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India Solar Tender Tracker </a>to stay on top of tender activity in real-time.</p>


Onix Renewable Floats EoI for 1.9 GW Solar Projects in Maharashtra


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					</table><p>The <a href="https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ministry of Railways</a> has floated tender to empanel qualified bidders for setting up 20 MW ground-mounted solar projects at Madhepura, Pandaul, and Rajnagar in Samastipur division of <a href="https://ecr.indianrailways.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">East Central Railway</a>.</p>
<p>The last date to submit bids is December 23, 2024. Bids will be opened on the same day.</p>
<p>Bidders must pay performance security of ₹1.6 million (~$18,889.3)/MW.</p>
<p>They must also pay a bid document fee of ₹34,810 (~$410.96) plus GST and bid security of ₹1.07 million (~$12,632)/MW.</p>
<p>The scope of work covers the generation and supply of power from ground-mounted solar module systems. The bidder must be responsible for EPC, installation, testing, and commissioning of the solar module system, including operation and maintenance of the system for 25 years after the commissioning of projects.</p>
<p>The bidding process will be a single-stage two-packet centralized process without any subsidy/viability gap funding support from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy or Railways. The project will be carried out in a public-private partnership mode.</p>
<p>Bidders must have installed a minimum aggregate capacity of 200 kW of grid-connected rooftop solar systems in developer or engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) mode.</p>
<p>Alternatively, they must have installed and commissioned a minimum aggregate capacity of 1,000 kW of grid-connected systems in developer or EPC mode in any sector.</p>
<p>Bidders must have an average annual turnover of ₹15 million (~$177,087)/year in the last three financial years.</p>
<p>The successful bidder must sign a power purchase agreement for 25 years with the Railways.</p>
<p>The solar project can be &gt;500 kW and up to 1 MW, or &gt;1 MW and up to 5 MW.</p>
<p>The duration of the empanelment will be six months from the signing of the power purchase agreement. the validity may be extended for two more months.</p>
<p>The power/energy generated from the 20 MW solar project will be purchased by the Samastipur division of the Railway.</p>
<p>Bidders must set up the solar project in one location with an approximate area of 100,000 square meters.</p>
<p>In November 2024, the Ministry of Railways <a href="https://ecr.indianrailways.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> a tender for supplying, installing, testing, and commissioning a ground-mounted grid-connected 4 MW solar project at Thivim of Konkan Railway in Goa.</p>
<p>In October 2024, the North Eastern Railway <a href="https://ecr.indianrailways.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited</a> bids under two tenders for a cumulative capacity of 2.21 MW on-grid rooftop solar systems (without battery backup) at the railway station, service building, and residential quarters of the SSE/E/West Section of the Izzatnagar division in Uttar Pradesh.</p>


East Central Railway Floats Empanelment Tender for 20 MW Solar Projects

<p>Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (<a href="https://mrpl.co.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MRPL</a>), a subsidiary of India’s state Oil and Natural Gas Corp. (ONGC), has commissioned solar photovoltaic (PV) projects aggregating 6.063 MW within the MRPL refinery premises in Mangalore, Karnataka.</p>
<p>The capacity comprises both ground‑mounted and rooftop solar PV projects.</p>
<p>According to MRPL, 34 rooftops in the refinery premises are being utilized for rooftop solar PV projects.</p>
<p>MRPL tendered the capacity in <a href="https://mercomindia.com/36-4-mw-small-solar-tenders-announced-india-last-week/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">September 2017</a>. Tata Power Solar Systems emerged as the winning engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor to develop the project.</p>
<p>Previously, Mercom had also <a href="https://mercomindia.com/numaligarh-refinery-tenders-1-mw-solar-project-assam/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> on the tender floated by Numaligarh Refinery, a group company of Bharat Petroleum Corporation, for a 1 MW solar project to be developed at the Numaligarh Refinery facility located in Golaghat, Assam.</p>
<p>Tata Power Solar Systems developed the project at a cost of ₹270 million (~$4.14 million). The project is expected to generate more than 24,000 units of electricity per day amounting to more than 8.8 million units per annum.</p>
<p>Tata Power Solar Systems will provide operation and maintenance services for 25 years for the project.</p>
<p>Apollo Pipes Limited (APL) also commissioned a rooftop solar PV project of capacity 1.2 MW at its manufacturing facility in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh.</p>
<p>According to <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/solarinstallations-q4-2017/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mercom’s solar quarterly market update</a>, rooftop installations in the country grew by 56 percent year-over-year with cumulative installations totaling nearly 1.6 GW as of December 31, 2017.</p>
<p>Karnataka’s solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity crossed the <a href="https://mercomindia.com/karnataka-top-solar-state-india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">5 GW mark</a> in the first quarter of 2018 to transform it into India’s top solar PV state.</p>
<p>Image credit: MRPL</p>


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