The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has invited bids for the development of 1.2 GW of interstate transmission system (ISTS) connected wind power projects (Tranche X) in India. The projects are to be set up on a Build Own Operate basis and a power purchase agreement (PPA) will be signed with SECI for 25 years. Developers will be required to set up the wind projects and additionally, identify acquire land for the project and also acquire connectivity and long-term open access approvals for connections in the ISTS network. The project will have to be commissioned within 18 months of the signing of the PPA and must achieve financial closure within seven months of the PPA. Prospective bidders must submit a performance guarantee of Rs 1.2 million. The last date for the submission of bids is February 5, 2020.
The minimum quoted capacity for a bidder must be at least 50 MW and can be a maximum of 1.2 GW in multiples of 10 MW. The declared annual capacity utilization factor for the wind projects must be at least 22 per cent during the PPA period. Prospective bidders must have a net worth of at least Rs12 million as of the end of 2019-20. Further, they must have reported a minimum annual turnover of Rs 6 million as per the last financial year.
As of December 2020, SECI has floated tenders for wind projects with a cumulative capacity of 12.3 GW. In March 2020, SECI invited bids for the development of 2 GW of wind power under Tranche IX of the ISTS program. In July 2020, the capacity under this tender was revised to 2.5 GW. JSW solar won 810 MW of the tendered capacity at a tariff of Rs 3 per kWh.
In addition to these requests, MSEDCL had also asked for MERC’s approval to set the capacity utilization factor (for decentralized solar projects at 19 per cent instead of 15 per cent as prescribed by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). The request was approved.