NHPC Limited has awarded the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract to Tata Power Solar Systems to develop a 40 MW solar project in the Ganjam district of Odisha. As per the BSE filing, the total estimated value of the contract is ₹1.88 billion (~$25.76 million).

As per the contract, the project will be set up on government land acquired by NHPC through the state agency Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation, along with the associated 220 kV transmission line for connectivity work at 220 kV transmission system at loop-in-loop-out provision. The contract will also include the operation and maintenance activities of the project for ten years.

NHPC had invited bids from EPC contractors for the 40 MW solar power project in July last year. The project was to be developed at Landeihil village in Odisha’s Ganjam district.

Grid Corporation of Odisha will procure the power generated from the project for 25 years – the entire lifecycle of the project.

The project has been approved by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy under the solar park program and will be commissioned within 12 months.

Earlier, NHPC had signed a memorandum of understanding with Green Energy Development Corporation of Odisha Limited. As part of the pact, the parties were set to form a joint venture company to develop techno-commercially feasible floating solar projects of nearly 500 MW in Odisha. Together, the two entities would also explore further potential of installing floating solar projects in the state.

According to Mercom’s India Solar Tender Tracker, NHPC has so far floated EPC tenders for 477 MW of solar projects.

Predominantly a hydropower generator, NHPC diversified into developing solar projects in June 2020. The company had announced that it would act as an intermediary procurer through solar developers. NHPC, one of the largest hydropower companies in the country, currently has a portfolio comprising over 7 GW of projects spread across 24 power stations, according to the company’s website. The company is in the process of constructing another six hydropower projects totaling 5,774 MW.