CEL Invites Bids For 1.2 GWp Solar PV Module Manufacturing Line At Sahibabad Under Make In India Program

Central Electronics Limited (CEL), a well-known Mini Ratna Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Science & Technology, has announced a major tender for the establishment of a 1.2 GWp Solar PV Module Manufacturing Line at its Sahibabad facility. This initiative is part of the government’s ‘Make in India’ program and will be implemented on a revenue-sharing model. The project aims to set up a fully automated production line for advanced solar panels, incorporating modern technologies such as Mono PERC and TOPCON. CEL will provide approximately 21,000 square meters of land for the facility and offer funding assistance of up to ₹25 Crores. This support will cover the construction of the manufacturing building and the relocation of an existing 900 kWp ground-mounted solar plant to the rooftop of the new facility.

The successful bidder will be responsible for providing all machinery, utilities, and manpower required to operate the plant. They will also manage the operation and maintenance of the facility for an initial contract period of six years, which may be extended by an additional three years depending on performance and statutory compliance. Financially, the partnership requires the selected bidder to pay CEL a minimum annual charge starting at ₹15 Crores in the first year and increasing to ₹18 Crores annually for the following five years, irrespective of the revenue generated. All products manufactured at the plant must be sold exclusively through CEL, which will handle final customer invoicing and retain its agreed share of revenue.

The tender specifies that only domestic bidders meeting strict pre-qualification criteria will be eligible to participate. Interested companies must have an average annual turnover of at least ₹75 Crores over the last three financial years and a net worth of at least ₹50 Crores as of March 31, 2025. The bidding process will follow a two-packet system, and the final selection will include a live forward auction conducted through the National Informatics Centre (NIC) portal.

Financial obligations for bidders include a mandatory Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) of ₹50,00,000, which must be submitted via NEFT or RTGS. No exemptions from this requirement will be allowed. The successful bidder must also provide a Performance Bank Guarantee or security deposit of ₹2,50,00,000 at the time of contract signing.

The key dates for bidders include the release of the Request for Proposal (RFP) on December 26, 2025, at 15:30 IST, and a pre-bid meeting scheduled for January 5, 2026, at 11:00 IST. The last date for document sale or download and bid submission is January 15, 2026, at 10:00 IST. The technical bid opening is set for January 16, 2026, at 10:00 IST, while the financial bid opening will be announced after technical evaluation. CEL has also encouraged bidders to visit the Sahibabad site before submitting their proposals to understand the physical requirements of the project. All bids must be submitted online through the government e-tenders portal.

This project marks a significant step in India’s push to expand domestic solar manufacturing capacity, support technological advancement in renewable energy, and create a sustainable revenue-sharing model under the Make in India initiative. The initiative also highlights CEL’s commitment to promoting large-scale solar module production using cutting-edge technologies.