The Kerala State Electricity Board Limited (KSEB) has invited bids to empanel contractors for engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of 200 MW of grid-connected residential rooftop solar systems in Kerala.

The successful bidder will also have to take care of operation and maintenance activities for five years. The projects will be developed under the ‘Soura’ subsidy scheme of the Kerala government.

The projects will be developed under Part A (Up to 1 kW), Part B (1 to 2 kW), Part C (2 to 3 kW), Part D (3-10 kW), Part E (10 to 100 kW), and Part F (100 to 500 kW) categories.

Bids have been invited for the whole state under Parts-A to F with minimum and maximum capacities as follows:

The last date to submit the bids online is March 8, 2021. Bids will be opened on March 9.

Bidders will have to submit an amount of ₹100 (~$1.37)/kW as the earnest money deposit for bids more than 10 MW.

The minimum installed capacity at a single location should be 1 kW. The projects up to 30 MW should be commissioned within three months from the EPC order date, and projects above 30 kW should be commissioned within six months. The contractor would have to bear the cost of setting up infrastructure for the solar generation facility to the interconnection point, and data acquisition, including the communication facility.

Only indigenously manufactured solar panels (both cells and modules) should be used in projects under the subsidy program.

To quote in 1 kW, 2 kW, and 3 kW categories and up to 5 MW capacity, the bidder should have experience installing rooftop, ground-mounted solar power projects in India for 250 kW capacity.

To quote in 1kW, 2 kW, 3 kW, (4-10 kW), (11-100 kW), (101-500 kW) categories above 5 MW capacity, the bidder should have experience in the installation of 3 MW of rooftop or ground-mounted projects in India.

Startups quoting in the 1kW, 2 kW, and 3 kW categories and quoting up to 500 kW capacity should have experience in installing rooftop or ground-mounted solar projects in India with 250 kW capacity.

Bidders quoting in 1kW, 2 kW, 3 kW categories and quoting up to 2 MW capacity should have a cumulative turnover of ₹10 million (~$137,495) in any three of the last five years. They should have at least ₹ 5 million (~$68,747) turnover in any one of the last three years.

For bidders quoting in 1kW, 2 kW, and 3 kW categories and quoting up to 5 MW capacity, the cumulative turnover should be ₹25 million (~$343,748) in any three years during the last five years and ₹10 million (~$137,495) in any one of the last three years. Their net worth should be positive in at least two years during the three years taken for the cumulative turnover.

For bidders quoting in 1kW, 2 kW, 3 kW, (4-10 kW), (11-100 kW), and (101-500 kW) categories above 5 MW capacity, the annual turnover should be ₹5 million (~$68,747)/MW in three of the last five financial years.

For companies incorporated within the last three financial years, the bidders’ net worth should be equal to or greater than the value calculated at the rate of ₹5million (~$68,747)/MW.

In March last year, KSEB invited bids for empaneling contractors for 150 MW of grid-tied residential rooftop solar systems in the state. The scope of work included the design, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of the project, along with 25 years of operation and maintenance services.

Earlier, KSEB had filed a petition with the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission (KSERC) to implement projects comprising a total capacity of 200 MW of rooftop solar systems during 2019-20 to meet its renewable purchase obligations (RPO). After examining the petition, the KSERC has allowed KSEB to proceed with the tendering process for 200 MW of rooftop solar systems under the Soura Phase-1 program.

According to Mercom’s India Solar Tender Tracker, KSEB has so far floated tenders for 151 MW of rooftop solar systems.