17 minute read
Projects and Tenders
India’s National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Ltd. Has floated a tender for an EPC contract for the development of a 100 MW Floating Solar Project in Odisha.
Advertisement
The tender has been issued on the behalf of a joint venture (to be formed between NHPC Ltd. & GEDCOL). And the scope of work includes Engineering, Procurement, Construction (EPC) Contract for development of the project and associated 220 KV transmission line for connectivity at 400 KV Grid substation along with Comprehensive Operation and Maintenance for 10 years at Rengali Reservoir at Angul district in the state of Odisha. The project forms part of NHPC’s commitment to the state of Odisha, among others. The last date to submit the online bids is October 7, 2021, while a prebid meeting has been scheduled for September 2, 2021. October 14 is the last date to submit offline bids. Interested bidders are expected to pay a tender document fee of Rs. 20,000. Also, the bid is valid for the next 120 days from the last bid submission date. A 12 month period has been given for completion of the project from the date of issuance of Notification of Award including the commissioning period.
To find themselves eligible to bid, the bidder must have designed, supplied, erected/ supervised erection, and commissioned/ supervised commissioning of Solar Photo Voltaic (SPV) based gridconnected power plant(s) of cumulative installed capacity of 40 MW or higher, out of which at least one plant should have been of 10 MW. Or, the bidders must have developed a Solar Photo Voltaic (SPV) based grid-connected power plant(s) of the same capacity as mentioned above.
If the bidder is a holding company or joint venture, it shall furnish an Undertaking jointly executed by the firm and the Bidder along with its bid document for the complete performance of the contract (in case of award) jointly or severally, failing which the bid document is liable to be rejected. The bidder must have a minimum average annual turnover in the preceding three financial years shall be Rs. 800 crores. Bidder’s Net Worth should be positive in 3 out of the preceding 5 financial years. While the working capital (current assets minus current liabilities) should be at least Rs. 90 crores.
SJVN Wins Bihar’s 200 MW Solar Project Auction Worth Rs. 1,000 Crore
Ajoint venture of Govt. of India & Govt. of Himachal Pradesh, SJVN on Saturday announced winning the auction for 200 MW of Grid-Connected Solar Project of Rs, 1,000 crores in Bihar.
According to SJCN’s Chairman Mr. Nand Lal Sharma, SJVN Ltd got the project through Open Competitive Tariff Bidding Process for quoted capacity of 200 MW Rs. 3.11/unit on Build Own and Operate (BOO) basis during an e-reverse auction held on August 13, 2021.
Bihar Renewable Energy Development Agency (BREDA) organized the auction for a solar project of the capacity of 200 MW, through a tariff-based competitive bidding process, where three other bidders have also participated. Chairman further notifies that the tentative cost of construction and development of this project is Rs 1,000 crore. The project is expected to generate 420.48 MU (million units) in the 1st year and the project cumulative energy generation for 25 years would be about 10,512 MU. The PPA shall be signed between BREDA and SJVN for 25 years. Sharma also declared that currently, SJVN has a total installed capacity of 2,016.5 MW including two hydropower plants of 1,912 MW and four renewable power plants of 104.5 MW (two solar plants of 6.9 MW and 2 wind plants of 97.6 MW).
GameChange Solar Finishes 394 MW Tracker Project in Gujarat for Tata
US solar equipment supplier GameChange Solar has completed its first Genius Tracker™ project in India. The 394 MW project is located 110 km from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and is expected to supply clean solar power to the equivalent of 376,000 households.
The company, which manufactures fixed tilt structures and solar trackers, said that it is proud to have been selected by Tata Power, a leading independent power producer in India and part of the Tata Group. This is the largest solar project utilizing single-axis trackers in India, and GameChange Solar’s Genius Tracker™ 1P was selected for the project because of the challenging ground conditions and high winds experienced in the area, an official statement said. The Genius Tracker™ is said to be engineered specifically for these conditions.
The project, which was only partially constructed at the time, withstood the Tauktae cyclone when it hit in May of 2021. This was the strongest cyclone to strike Gujarat since 1998 and had wind speeds in excess of 160 km/h and uprooted trees & electricity poles. Fortunately, no damage was caused to the portion of the facility installed at that time.
More than 20% of the materials used while installing the Genius Tracker™ came from within the country. GameChange Solar is targeting to locally source more than 50% of the parts for its systems on all future projects in India.
Vikas Bansal, Chief Operating Officer, International for GameChange Solar, stated, “We were pleased to have Genius Tracker™ selected for the Ahmedabad project. We are looking forward to bringing GameChange Solar’s cutting-edge Genius Tracker™ technology to more projects in India. As a global leader in the solar industry, we will strive to make an impact on the clean energy supply throughout the Indian subcontinent.”
GameChange Solar announced last month that it was setting up an office in Bangalore, Karnataka. In March this year, the PV tracker firm announced that it had deployed over 2,30,000 solar trackers till date. Each solar tracker is an independent robotic system that moves an average of 90 PV solar modules throughout the course of the day to follow the sun and interact with weather patterns to optimize energy harvest for power plant owners.
Tata Power, AlJomaih Winners in RUMSL’s 500 MW Neemuch Solar Park Auction
RUMSL’s third 500 MW auction continued to attract ever lower bids, as TP Saurya (Tata Power), and Saudi firm AlJomaih Energy and Water Company, pocketed the Neemuch park bids. While Tata Power won two parcels of 170 MW and 160 MW at Rs 2.14 and 2.149 respectively, Aljomaih won the remaining 170 MW with a final bid of Rs 2.15/kWh. RUMSL is a joint venture company of Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (MPUVN), and Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).
These bids follow the last 450 MW RUMSL (Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited) solar auction that was won by NTPC Renewables (NTPC) and Talettutayi Solar Projects Nine (SolarArise) with bids of Rs 2.33/kWh and Rs 2.34/kWh, respectively.
The first of the 1500 MW of of total auctions was held for the Agar Solar park, where the bids for 550 MW capacity saw Avaada Energy and O2 Power (through Beempow energy Private Limited) winning the bids with bids at Rs 2.45(200 MW) and 2.44 (350 MW) respectively.
The attractive bids, made after the government made it clear that they would have to take into account the impending duty structure from April 2022, are very attractive by all means, and indicate a positive mood among developers about the future. Of course, these bids already have assured buys, which ensures that the projects will proceed on schedule, unlike the many SECI sponsored auctions from 2020 that are still struggling to find discom buyers.
The results also mean that the going will continue to be tough for projects bid and won at over Rs 2.70 levels, as discoms will continue to expect lower prices going ahead.
These bids also raise expectations about the prices expect in the 1785 MW Rajasthan tender from SECI, results of which should be coming in soon too. The tender has already drawn a high response of over 10 GW worth of bids.
NHPC Issues 2 Solar Power Tenders For 100 MW And 500 Mw In Tamil Nadu
Stepping up the pace after its 100 MW floating solar tender early this week, NHPC (National Hydroelectric Power Corporation) has issued two tenders, for a 100 MW and a 500 MW solar project. Both projects are to be located in Tamil Nadu. With these, the pace of solar development returns to Tamil Nadu, after a period of relative quite.
Both the tenders come with an O&M provision of 10 years, following the standard PSU rulebook. NHPC has set itself a target of almost 4 GW of solar projects by 2024 going by past announcements, and these projects seem very well to be a push to get close to those numbers. The company already has projects worth 2000 MW with ISTS connectivity under implementation, after awarding them last year. It’s floating solar tender for Odisha was also announced recently.
For these two Tamil Nadu solar tenders, the last date for submissions is October 11 (100 MW) and October 8 respectively for the 500 Mw option. As a profitable PSU, it will hope to get some strong bids for these tenders no doubt. While the minimum average turnover requirement for the both the tendered projects is Rs 700 crores. For the 500 Mw tender, bidding is allowed in multiples of 100 MW each.
Interestingly, while asking for a clear commitment for at least 50 percent of the land required for the project/s, NHPC is assuming requirements at 4.5 acres per MW. One hopes to see this figure come down to 4 acres or less in coming months, as the use of more efficient modules takes root in India too.
The ramp up of tenders from NHPC clearly indicates a new dominance of PSU’s when it comes to fresh capacity creation. This is something that was on the cards for a while, as we had covered back in January this year. With NTPC doubling its own target to 2032, it should be interesting to see how the plans of the remaining PSU’s, be it Coal India, SJVN, NLC, GAIL and more, that have also committed to add solar capacity, pan out.
SECI Discovers Rs 2.34 Price In 1200 MW Solar Wind Hybrid Auction
NTPC Limited, NLC India, Mission Ten Renewable Energy (Ayana Renewable Energy), and Azure Energy emerged as the winners in the Solar Energy Corporation of India’s (SECI) auction for 1,200 MW solarwind hybrid projects (Tranche-IV) related to the Interstate Transmission System (ISTS). The final winning bid was at Rs 2.34/unit.
Bids by other majors like ReNew Power, Hero Future Energies, Adani Green, and AMP energy came in at Rs 2.40 or higher. NTPC, Ayana and NLC quoted Rs. 2.34/kWh each and won 450 MW, 450 MW, 150 MW, respectively. Azure won 150 MW at Rs 2.35. Renewable energy developers have to take into account the basic customs duty (BCD) for all bids henceforth, which was expected to yield tariffs of 2.40 and above.
SECI had released the tender document in April earlier this year, as per which the hybrid power projects are to be designed for interconnection with the transmission network of the central transmission utility at the voltage level of 220 kV or above. The hybrid power project is to involve one solar and one wind power project.
Prior to this, the previous hybrid project bid came in at Rs 2.41 for Adani, AMP, and Axis Energy. The low prices would have surprised quite a few people, although they could be expected, considering the intense competition and fresh fund raises achieved by most developers.
BHEL Invites Bids for O&M Of 25 MW Floating Solar Project in Andhra Pradesh
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has issued a new tender, inviting bids for the operation and maintenance works of 25 MW floating solar PV power project at NTPC Simhadri, Andhra Pradesh, for a period of 36 months.
The estimated cost of the project is Rs 390.95 lakhs and the deadline for bid submission is August 17, 2021, before 1 pm. The bid will open on the same day at 1:30 pm.
In order to be eligible for bid submission, interested vendors must meet the following criteria: • Average annual financial turnover during the last 3 years ending 31st March of the previous financial year, should be 30% of the NIT value. Bidder shall
submit the audited balance sheets for past 3 years. In case, audited balance sheet is not available for current year, unaudited balance sheet is acceptable. • Experience of having successfully completed similar works during last 7 years ending last day of previous month to the one in which applications are invited should be either of the following: 1. Three similar completed works, each costing not less than the amount equal to 40% of the estimated cost. (i.e. Rs. 156.38 lakhs plus GST); 2. Two similar completed works, each costing not less than the amount equal to 50% of the estimated cost. (i.e. Rs. 195.48 lakhs plus
GST); 3. One similar completed work costing not less than the amount equal
to 80% of the estimated cost. (i.e. be Rs. 312.76 lakhs plus GST) • Any vendors, against whom, action due to non-performance has been initiated by BHEL are not eligible for participation. The tender envelope submitted by such a firms/bidder will not be opened for evaluation and no communication in this regard will be entertained.
The document also informs that unless the bidder whose tender is accepted signs contract agreement within fifteen days (15 days) of the date of the order directing to do so, the amount of Earnest Money Deposit (EMD), which has been set at Rs. 5 lakhs, will be forfeited and acceptance of the tender will be withdrawn.
REMCL Invites Bids for 210 MW Solar Projects on Vacant Railway Land
Railway Energy Management Company Limited (REMCL), a joint venture of the Indian Railways and RITES Limited (Rail India Technical And Engineering Services Limited, a railway PSU), has issued a new tender to develop 210 MW of grid-connected solar projects under the Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) category. The solar projects are to be developed on vacant railway land.
The work scope includes engineering, packing, unloading, installation, design, supply, transportation, storage, and commissioning of grid-connected solar projects under the DCR category on vacant railway land parcels on a turnkey basis, along with project maintenance for ten years.
The deadline for the submission of bids falls on October 21, 2021, and the bidding will open on the same date, said the tender document.
In May this year, REMCL invited bids to develop a 15 MW solar project with a 7 MW/14 MWh battery energy storage system on railway land at Butibori in Nagpur. Later, in June, the company invited bids for setting up projects totalling 740 MW ground-mount solar project on vacant lands.
Awholly-owned subsidiary of the Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam, Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Limited has floated a tender for a 224 MW solar Photovoltaic gridconnected power plant.
The tender has been issued for the power plants ranging from 10 MW to 55 MW at various substations of GETCO of Surendranagar, Morbi Kutchh, Jamnagar & Surat Districts in the State of Gujarat.
The scope of work includes Design, Engineering, Supply, Procurement, Installation, Commissioning, Operation, and Maintenance of the power plants for five years.
The last date for online bid submission is September 9, 2021, while a pre-bid meeting has been scheduled for the first of September. Interested bidders are expected to pay a non-refundable tender fee of Rs. 25,000, along with a refundable Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) of Rs. 4 Lakh/ MW in the form of a Bank Guarantee. Whereas, the total estimated cost of the tender is Rs. 896 Crores.
The total capacities for the power plants for different districts are differentiated into seven groups. Earlier this year, GSECL awarded an LoA to build a 95 MW solar project to Tata Power Solar, the order value of the project was approximately Rs 460 crores.
In contrast to adding solar power in the state through small developers, GUVNL has recently withdrawn subsidies to small-scale distributed solar projects, hitting about 4,000 projects with an aggregate capacity of around 2500 MW contracted capacity.
SECI, Renew Power Sign PPA For 400 MW RTC Tender Won In 2020
ReNew Power has announced the signing of a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for Round-TheClock (RTC) electricity supply, the first-ofits-kind in India. The PPA was signed with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI)
ReNew had won the bid to supply RoundThe-Clock power in 2020 through an auction conducted by SECI. As per the contract, ReNew Power will supply electricity in the first year at `2.90/kWh . This tariff will increase by 3% annually for the first 15 years after which it will stabilise for the remaining 10-years of the 25-year contract. Renew’s bid was just a paise more than the second placed bidder, Greenko. It has taken just over a year for the PPA to be signed, as the results were announced on May 7,2020.
The project will be designed to operate at an 80% average annual plant load factor (PLF) and will have a minimum capacity utilisation factor of 70% monthly, despite being a renewable energy project. As a typical solar/wind firm power renewable energy project in India has a lower PLF depending on site and technology selection, ReNew Power anticipates the 400 MW RTC project will require 900 MWs of wind capacity, 400 MWs of solar capacity, which will be supplemented by battery storage, for a project cost of approximately US$ 1.2 billion (`8950 crores).
J N Swain, MD of SECI, said, “This PPA is a significant step forward to not only meet the 175 GW renewable energy target of India but also usher in a dispatchable renewable energy regime in the electricity sector. This is also a momentous occasion for SECI as under this single project, 400 MW renewable energy Round-The-Clock (RTC) capacity will result in the deployment of 1,300 MW of wind and solar capacity and a large-scale battery storage system in the country. With this project, procuring utilities would get round-theclock electricity supply from renewables at a very affordable rate while meeting their RPO targets. Innovative projects like this will be the future of renewable energy in the country.”
ReNew Power will set up this capacity through wind and solar farms across Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan where ReNew has obtained requisite approvals to connect the project sites with the grid and has secured connectivity through the inter-state transmission system.
TPREL Commissions 100 MW Solar Project At Raghanesda, Gujarat
Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited (TPREL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Power has successfully commissioned 100 MW Solar Power project at Raghanesda Solar Park, Gujarat. This project is another landmark for TPREL, as in the first year of its operation, the 100MW plant is expected to generate 255 million units. Raghanesda Solar Park, located in the Banaskantha district of Gujarat, is one of the biggest solar parks in the country.
This project was awarded by Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd (GUVNL). With this addition of 100 MW, the total installed capacity of TPREL will be 2,797 MW with 1,865 MW of Solar and 932 MW of wind. It has another 1,234 MW of renewable projects under implementation.
The project execution continues to strengthen Tata Power’s solar portfolio as well as overall renewable energy portfolio. As the most well integrated energy firms in the country today, Tata Power also finds itself well placed to continue to build on its strong legacy advantages as well as the experience with an ever growing renewable energy portfolio. The firm has a declared ambition of shifting to a renewable led growth, and targets a 60% renewable portfolio by 2025. On a base of 25 GW, which the firm expects to achieve on the back of a capex plan of Rs 60,000 to Rs 65,000 crores. With a strong customer base of over 20 million and plans to bid for more distribution opportunities as they turn up, Tata power also has a strong pitch for its EV charging business, now just expanding out.
