The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has invited bids to set up an aggregate 1200 MW capacity of Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS)-connected solar projects under tranche VIII. The project—to be set up on build-own-operate basis—can be developed anywhere in India.
SECI shall enter into a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the successful bidder for a period of 25 years. The maximum tariff payable to the project developer is fixed at Rs 2.78/kWh for 25 years. Power procured by SECI has been provisioned to be sold to the different buying utilities of India.
Bids must be accompanied with bank guarantee of Rs 400,000/ MW per project. Further, successful bidders shall submit performance guarantee of Rs 2 million/MW within 30 days of the award of contract or before signing of PPA, whichever is earlier.
Capacity offered
A single developer can bid for any capacity from 50 MW to 1200 MW, quoted only in multiples of 10 MW. For each project, the minimum project capacity shall be 50 MW and maximum 300 MW.
The developer may set up the cumulative project capacity at a single location or configure the project as being sub-divided into a number of blocks, set up at multiple locations, if required. For a single project, such ‘blocks’ shall be located within the same State.
The projects are to be designed for inter-connection with the ISTS substation at a minimum voltage level of 220 KV. The minimum voltage level for a single block shall be 33 KV.
The bidders are free to choose the ISTS substations for interconnection of the project to the grid on a pan-India basis.
The declared annual capacity utilization factor shall in no case be less than 17%.
Commissioning
The projects must be commissioned within 18 months from the effective date of the PPA. The maximum time period allowed for commissioning of the full project capacity with applicable liquidated damages, shall be limited to the date as on 6 months from the scheduled commissioning date (SCD) or the extended SCD (if applicable).
