SECI Floats Tender for 1200 MW RE Projects With Assured Peak Power Supply

SECI has issued a tender for setting up of 1200 MW RE projects with assured peak power supply in India

The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued a tender for setting up of 1200 MW ISTS-connected Renewable Energy (RE) projects with assured peak power supply in India. (ISTS-VII)

The scope of work for the selected bidders will include the design, supply, engineering, construction, installation, testing, and commissioning of renewable energy projects. Additionally, land, connectivity and long term open access will also be in the scope of the hybrid power developer.

The Earnest Money Deposit to be submitted by each interested bidder has been set at Rs 6 lakh per MW per project. The document processing fee has been set at Rs 5 lakh (+GST) for projects between 50 MW and 90 MW capacity. And, Rs 15 lakh (+GST) for each project above 100 MW capacity.

Currently, the total RE capacity installed in the country is over 80 GW, with wind projects constituting over 36 GW and installed solar projects capacity touching 28 GW. However, in spite of RE power ranked second in terms of total installed capacity in India, owing to their intermittent and infirm resource-centric nature, renewables have not been able to replace conventional power to fulfill peak load demand of Discoms. RE capacity deployment will continue to dominate the energy mix as the deployment of conventional sources are not commercially and environmentally viable options.

Further, increased electrification and reduced load shedding by Discoms have resulted in a steep increase in the peak energy demand, which is currently met by the Discoms at significantly higher costs. The above scenario thus indicates RE power to be flexible and firm in nature to become a prime resource to bridge this demand-supply gap. The short term target is, therefore, to achieve a paradigm shift in the energy mix in the country, and push for RE with storage technologies becoming one of the key resources to meet peak demand during morning and evening hours. It will result in making available firm, dispatchable RE power, meeting the demand pattern of Discoms during peak hours, and that too, at competitive tariff.

In view of the above, SECI wishes to invite proposals for setting up of ISTS-connected RE power projects anywhere in India on “Build Own Operate” (B-O-O) basis for an aggregate capacity of 1200 MW, along with assured Peak Power supply.

SECI shall enter into a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the successful bidder(s) selected based on this RfS for purchase of power for a period of 25 years based on the terms, conditions and provisions of the RfS.

The project installation shall also be augmented with energy storage systems with a minimum rated capacity of the ESS being equal to the contracted capacity of the project as per PPA, in order to meet the above criteria of supply of power during the Peak Hours.

The power procured by SECI from the above projects has been provisioned to be sold to the different buying Utilities of India.

Projects selected under this RfS shall be eligible for two-part tariffs. These shall be referred to as “Peak Tariff” and “Off-Peak Tariff” as defined in the RfS. Energy generated during the Off-Peak Hours shall be eligible for a flat tariff payment @ Rs. 2.70/kWh, i.e. the Off-Peak Tariff. Energy generated during the Peak Hours shall be purchased at the tariff discovered through e-Reverse Auction as per this RfS, i.e. the Peak tariff.

The last date for bid submission is September 17, 2019.

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