15 MW Nangal Floating Solar Bid Deadline Gets 12th Extension From SECI

SECI has extended the bid submission deadlines for the 15 MW floating solar plant at Nangal Pond, In Himachal Pradesh’s Bilaspur District, by a further period to July 19, 2021. This should make this the 12th extension for the project now.

The tender had first been released in July last year. Power from the project is to be sold completely to the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), with a 25 year PPA. The maximum levelised tariff payable to the Project Developer was fixed at INR 3.41/ kWh for 25 years. This was  inclusive of all statutory taxes, duties, levies, cess applicable as on the last date of bid submission.

The project forms one of the many floating solar projects that are being targeted on reservoirs linked to large hydro power projects in the country. As these make evacuation of power generated easier  due to the existence of transmission infrastructure in close vicinity to the plants. In this case, a single point connectivity is to be provided at the voltage level of 66 kV of the Sub-station of FSPV Power Plant where it interconnects to the LILO connection of BBMB.

While SECI awaits responses on this tender, it is pertinent to note that with better understanding and lower costs, floating solar should be seen as a much more eco-friendly and low cost option as compared to small hydro projects, which produce power at higher costs, and do cause a larger environmental impact in the hilly eco systems favoured for them.  India has targeted 10 GW of floating solar capacity by 2022, a figure that we are far more likely to reach by 2025 now.

Delays on floating projects have typically been caused by issues around costing, and lack of relevant expertise across enough developers to make confident bids. BHEL has stood out for its many wins, although its early days to declare its foray into floating solar projects a complete success.