Puducherry Call for Bids: 225 MW Rooftop Solar Projects

The Electricity Department in Puducherry has announced a call for bids to establish fixed rates for the design, supply, erection, testing, and commissioning of grid-connected rooftop solar power projects across various capacities for residential buildings.

Under the ambitious plan set by the Puducherry government, rooftop solar modules are slated to be installed on 50,000 households annually, with an overarching target of equipping 150,000 households by December 2026. The initiative aims to achieve a cumulative capacity of 225 MW over the span of three years, commencing from April 2024.

Interested parties have until February 19, 2024, to submit their bids, with bid openings scheduled for the following day.

The projects are categorized based on their sizes: Part A (1 KW), Part B (2 KW), Part C (3 KW), Part D (ranging from above 3 KW to 10 KW), and Part E (covering common facilities in Resident Welfare Associations/Group Housing Societies up to 500 KW).

Financial incentives are provided based on project scale: individual household projects from 1 to 3 kW receive ₹18,000 per kW, while projects above 3 to 10 kW and RWA/GHS projects up to 500 kW receive ₹9,000 per kW.

Bidders are required to have prior experience in designing, supplying, installing, and commissioning grid-connected solar power projects with a cumulative capacity of at least 50 kW.

Applicants must have a net worth of at least ₹12 lakhs or an annual turnover of ₹500,000 in any of the previous three years.

Local Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises are exempt from these financial eligibility requirements.

The bid submitted by the lowest bidder will serve as the benchmark cost for rooftop solar installations in residential buildings until March 31, 2026.

Furthermore, only modules listed in the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s Approved List for Models and Manufacturers are permissible for use. These solar modules must have a minimum capacity of 500 Wp and should be warranted to maintain an output peak watt capacity of no less than 90% at the end of 12 years and 80% at the end of 30 years.