Telangana State Renewable Energy Development Corporation (TSREDCO) has issued a tender for the empanelment of rooftop solar installers in the state.

The tender covers rooftop solar projects of capacities ranging between 1 kW and 1,000 kW in Telangana. The bid-submission deadline is March 3, 2018.

The empaneled firms will be responsible for the supply, installation, commissioning, maintenance, and operation of grid-connected rooftop solar PV power projects of 1 to 1,000 kW capacity each at various locations in the state under net-metering policy.

Empanelment will be done for three project categories: 1 kW to 10 kW, 11 kW to 100 kW, and above 100 kW.

Talking to Mercom, a TSREDCO official said, “This is nothing new, earlier MNRE used to empanel agencies. Now, we are doing so for the ease of development of rooftop solar projects in our state, Telangana.”

MNRE discontinued the empanelment of channel partners under the grid-connected rooftop and small solar projects program effective November 23, 2017.

For the Telangana empanelment tender, the respondents are required to reply with the estimated cost per kW as well as the specifications of the components used by them. This in turn, will facilitate better implementation of rooftop solar projects in the state as the implementing agency can now make a list of empaneled vendors made available to common people, who can then decide which firm to choose, added the TSREDCO official.

When asked if the price quoted by a particular firm will be considered final, the TSREDCO official replied, “Depending on all the quotes received, TSREDCO can ask the respondents to lower the tariffs being quoted. We can negotiate with the bidders”.

“I hope that the installers have accounted for all of the variables and any unforeseen developments that may increase the project costs in the months ahead,” the official added.

The empanelment will be valid from April 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019.

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