SECI Extends Its Bid Submission Deadline For Its 4 MW Floating Solar With BESS Tender

The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued a notification, extending the bid submission deadline from February 13, 2020 to February 28, 2020, for its 4 MW Floating Solar With BESS Tender.

In January the Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI) had issued Request for Selection (RfS) to initiate 4 MW of grid-connected floating solar projects. The project consists of 2 MW of battery energy storage system (BESS). The projects will be established at Kalpong Dam in Diglipur which is located in northern Andaman and it will evolve on a build-own-operate (BOO) basis. As the earnest money deposit (EMD) interested bidders must remunerate ₹5.4 million (~$76,243.9). The highest tariff payable to the developer is ₹8 (~$0.11)/kWh for 25 years which includes all statutory taxes, levies, duties and cess.

Interested bidders can propose a single bid for the project. At the voltage level of 33kV, the projects should be drafted for interconnecting the nearest electricity department. The annual capacity utilization factor (CUF) of the selected bidder shouldn’t be less than 17%.

Within a year from the effective date of the power purchase agreement (PPA), this project should achieve financial closure. The timeline for the project is 18 months and the total performance bank guarantee will be encashed by the agency in case of delay beyond 24 months.

The tender states that the Andaman administration will hold rights to operationalize the PPA with the third party if the project is transferred or sold to a third party during its tenure.

SECI has proposed Under the RfS to sponsor only commercially established and operational technologies to minimize the technology risk and at the time of financial closure, SECI expects the prosperous bidder to confirm the selection of technology.

During the previous financial year, the minimum annual turnover of the bidder should be ₹48 million (~$677,723) while net worth should be minimum ₹54 million (~$760,285).

Previously, the bid submission deadline was also extended in several tender announcements for floating solar projects. For instance, 6 GW Solar Tender with 2 GW Manufacturing was extended from September 11, 2019, to October 11, 2019.