T
he Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI) has re-invited Request for Selection bids for developing 3 GW Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) connected solar PV projects linked with setting up of 1.5 GW solar manufacturing plant in India on build, own and operate basis.
The scope of work involves setting up the manufacturing unit and the solar PV projects, as well as the transmission network up to the interconnection or delivery point in accordance with prevailing Central Electricity Regulatory Commission regulations. The maintenance of transmission system up to the inter-connection point with ISTS will also be the responsibility of solar power developer (SPD). The tender has been prepared in line with the solar bidding guidelines which were issued by the Ministry of Power in August 2017. According to tender guidelines, a single bidder including its parent and affiliate or multiple bidders must bid for a minimum and maximum capacity of 1,000 MW and 3,000 MW respectively.
SECI will sign power purchase agreements (PPAs) with the successful bidders for a period of 25 years. The mandatory requirement of using self-produced modules in the solar PV power plants under this scheme, will not be there. The projects can be set up either through imported modules or through modules manufactured by the manufacturing unit being set up by the bidder or through any other domestic modules. Any excess generation over and above the 10 per cent of the declared annual capacity utilisation factor will be purchased by SECI at a fixed tariff of 75 per cent of the PPA tariff. The last date of bid submission is March 18, 2019.