The West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited (WBPDCL) has invited bids for setting up a 10 MW grid-connected floating solar project at Sagardighi Thermal Power Project in  Murshidabad. The scope of work includes the design, engineering, manufacture, procurement, supply, installation, and commissioning of the 10 MW floating solar power project on a turnkey basis. The contract will also include five years of comprehensive operation and maintenance (O&M).

The project should be completed within one year from the date of the issuance of the Letter of Award (LoA). The last date for the submission of bids is November 04, 2020, and the pre-bid meeting will take place on September 30, 2020.

This is a retender of the capacity that was floated in March this year.

Speaking to Mercom, an official from WBPDCL said, “After the pre-bid meeting, there were complaints from the developers regarding the technical specification of the floater. So, the authorities decided to make amendments and reissue the tender.”

The estimated cost of the project is ₹600.2 million (~$8.16 million), and interested bidders will have to submit an amount of ₹12 million (~$163,144) as the earnest money deposit (EMD).

To take part in the competitive bidding process, the bidder should have experience of setting up of one rooftop, ground-mounted, or floating solar power project of 8 MW, or two of 5 MW capacity each during the last seven years. The projects should have been in operation in India or abroad for at least a year.

Regarding the financial criteria, the bidder should have a minimum average annual turnover of ₹180 million (~$2.45 million) during the last three financial years. The net worth of the bidder in the previous financial year should not be less than 100% of the paid-up share capital of the bidder. If the bidder is a consortium, the combined net worth of both the partners should not be less than 100% of the paid-up share capital of the bidder.

According to the tender document, the net minimum guaranteed generation of solar energy should be at the rate of 1.52 million units/MW annually with the degradation of 1% for any reason, from the second year onwards. If generated units fall short, then ₹6.50 (~$0.08)/kWh of the shortfall will be deducted from the payments every year up to the fifth year.

In May this year, the New Town Kolkata Development Authority floated a tender for the installation of a 1 MW (2X500 kW) canal top solar project at Bagjola Canal located in New Town.

Mercom previously reported that WBPDCL successfully auctioned a 5 MW floating solar project to be developed in the district of Murshidabad, in which Gurgaon-based company, International Coil Limited, had won the contract.

Image credit: SolarWriter / CC BY-SA