TEDA has rolled out a tender for the development of a 50 MW capacity grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) project. The project will be set up on TEDA owned land in Kayathar, Kovilapatti Taluk, which is located in the Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) will release a grant for preparing a DPR and conducting surveys. In addition, the project developers can apply for a subsidy of up to Rs 2 million per MW or 30 per cent of the project cost including grid connectivity cost, whichever is lower.
The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) project will be developed on a build, own, operate, transfer basis. An upper tariff ceiling of Rs 3.47 per kWh has been fixed by TEDA for this tender. The project will be inter-connected with the state transmission utility substation through a dedicated transmission line at voltage levels of 11 kV and above and the responsibility of getting connectivity with the transmission system owned by Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation shall lie with the TEDA.
As per tender guidelines, in the event of a shortfall in performance, the project developer will be liable to pay compensation to TEDA in terms of units at the prevailing forbearance price. Moreover, in case of over generation, TEDA will purchase the excess power generated at either average pooled purchase cost (APPC), the accepted unit cost by TEDA, or the applicable preferential tariff, whichever is less.
A PPA for 25 years will be signed between the successful developer and TEDA, and the developer will have to provide operation and maintenance services for the entire PPA duration. The project will have to be commissioned within 10 months from the date of signing of PPA. For delay up to five months, TEDA will encash the performance bank guarantee on a per day basis, proportionate to the capacity not commissioned, with 100 per cent encashment after that. In addition, for a delay of over five months, the successful bidder will have to pay a sum of Rs 10,000 per MW per day of delay. In case the commissioning of the project is delayed beyond nine months from the scheduled date of commissioning, the PPA capacity will be reduced to the project capacity commissioned and the PPA for the balance capacity will be terminated.