Deendayal Port Authority Invites Bids For 1000 MW Solar Power Project In Gujarat

The Deendayal Port Authority has issued a Request for Qualification for a major solar project that aims to bring in long-term renewable power procurement. The plan is to set up a 1000 MWp solar power plant on coastal land situated between Chirai and Jangi. The project will be taken up through a competitive bidding process where developers are invited to participate, and once awarded, the power purchase agreement will run for 25 years. The selected developer will be required to supply up to 1,750 million units of solar power annually, making this project a significant step toward clean energy capacity addition.

The land identified for the project has been described as inter-tidal, marshy, partially CRZ-free, and partially within CRZ, which means that the developer will have to manage site-specific challenges while also securing all necessary permissions and environmental clearances. The authority has placed full responsibility on the bidder to obtain consents, permits, and clearances required for construction and operations. Importantly, the project needs to be completed and start supplying power within 10 months from the signing of the power purchase agreement, indicating an ambitious and fast-paced development timeline.

The bidding process is structured into two stages. The first stage involves a responsiveness check to ensure that all bid submissions comply with the guidelines and documentation requirements. The second stage is focused on bidder evaluation, which includes financial capability checks. As per the eligibility criteria, a bidding company must demonstrate a minimum free cash flow from business operations of at least ₹700 crore. This threshold has been set to ensure that only financially strong developers with proven operational capacity participate in the project.

The RFQ documents are available for purchase at a non-refundable cost of ₹10,000, excluding GST, which has to be paid through a demand draft in favor of Deendayal Port Authority. The bid offer is required to remain valid for at least six months from the final submission date. The process also requires submission of an earnest money deposit as well as a performance bank guarantee. While the exact EMD and PBG amounts are not specified in the available text, the documents clarify that the performance bank guarantee will be forfeited if the successful bidder does not meet the qualification requirements. The guarantee format is provided in the official annexures to guide participants.

The official date of the document is September 10, 2025, and the bidding process follows a strict timeline based on a reference start date called T0, which marks the beginning of the RFQ document sale. The last date for purchasing documents is 15 days after T0. Technical and price bids must be submitted within 30 days of T0, which is also the deadline for clarification of pre-bid queries. The Letter of Intent is scheduled to be issued within 75 days of T0, and the final signing of the agreement will take place within 90 days. If any of these dates happen to fall on a public holiday, the deadline will automatically move to the next working day.

This solar project represents a major opportunity for developers to participate in India’s push for large-scale renewable energy projects while also aligning with Deendayal Port Authority’s long-term energy strategy.