SECI Issues Tender for 700 MW ISTS-Connected Solar Power Projects in India

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 3, the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) issued the selection document for 700 MW of grid-connected solar photovoltaic projects under the Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS), with tender number SECI/C&P/IPP/15/0009/26-27, adopting tariff-based competitive bidding with electronic reverse auction. The projects will be implemented under the Build-Own-Operate (BOO) model, and all solar power plants must be established within Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in India or in areas designated as Export-Oriented Units (EOUs). The electricity generated will be supplied to an industrial and commercial power consumer located in Odisha. SECI plans to sign long-term Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with the successful project developers.

The total contracted capacity under this tender is 700 MW. The minimum bid capacity per developer is 50 MW, and the maximum is the full 700 MW, with capacity to be quoted in multiples of 10 MW. The PPA signed between the winning projects and SECI will have a term of 25 years, and the projects are scheduled to commence power supply within 24 months from the effective date of the PPA. Under the current tender arrangement, project power will be delivered within the ISTS network and will be utilized by the EOU industrial and commercial buyer in Odisha.

Project developers bear full responsibility for construction and grid connectivity, including identifying and procuring project land, constructing and owning the solar power plants, obtaining all permits and approvals required for construction and operation, and building the evacuation infrastructure up to the ISTS substation. Developers are also required to obtain all approvals necessary for the connection and interconnection of the projects with the inter-state transmission network, and are responsible for acquiring and maintaining SEZ or EOU status throughout the project execution period, with related compliance requirements governed by India's Foreign Trade Policy and the Customs Act, 1962.

The industrial and commercial consumer associated with this batch of projects plans to utilize the procured solar power for the production of green hydrogen and/or green ammonia, with the relevant electricity consumption aligned with India's National Green Hydrogen Mission. Under the tender conditions, projects meeting this end-use are exempt from the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) requirement for solar PV modules. The final tariff will be determined through competitive bidding, with SECI acting as the intermediary for power purchase and supply, signing PPAs with the successful solar project developers and subsequently supplying power to the target industrial and commercial buyer.

Bidders are required to have a minimum net worth of INR 8 million per MW, which may be calculated based on data from the end of fiscal year 2025–26 or using net worth data as of a date at least 7 days prior to the bid submission deadline. Bidders must also meet at least one financial capability criterion, including an annual turnover of no less than INR 3.726 million per MW for fiscal year 2025–26, EBITDA of no less than INR 0.745 million per MW, or obtaining an in-principle credit facility of no less than INR 0.931 million per MW from banks or financial institutions.

The tender requires a bid security of INR 0.8 million per MW of quoted capacity for each project, which may be furnished in the form of bank guarantees, payment commitment instruments, or insurance surety bonds. According to SECI's official tender page, the RfS document fee is INR 59,000; a pre-bid conference will be held on September 14, the online bid submission deadline is 6:00 PM on October 5, the offline document submission deadline is 6:00 PM on October 7, and bid opening is scheduled for 10:00 AM on October 8.