Coal India Invites EoI For Its Upcoming Solar PV Projects

Coal India Invites EoI For Its Upcoming Solar PV Projects. Photo: Pexels

Coal India Ltd has invited Expression of Interest (EoI) to empanel engineering procurement and construction (EPC)-cum-operation and maintenance (O&M) contractors for both ground-mounted and floating solar power projects. EPC-cum-O&M Contractors will be empaneled for three different categories based on the capacity of the Solar PV plants which are up to 50 MW, between 50-100 MW, and then above 100 MW, according to a document released by Coal India.

According to the EoI document of Coal India, the applicant can apply for all the categories or any one of the categories and may be empaneled by CIL subject to fulfillment of the eligibility criteria. Further, after completion of one year of the empanelment term, CIL will have the right to empanel any new EPC-cum-O&M contractor, if the said EPC-cum-O&M Contractor meets the eligibility criteria, stated in the document. After the empanelment of EPC-cum-O&M Contractors, as opportunities for the development of solar PV projects come, CIL will conduct project-wise bidding amongst the empaneled Contractors only, for the selection of EPC-cum-O&M Contractor for the projects.

The technical eligibility for the bidders includes having successfully designed, supplied, erected/supervised erection and commissioned supervised commissioning of a Solar Photo Voltaic-based grid-connected power plant during the last 7 years that ranges from three similar completed works each having capacity not less than 5 MW (AC) or two similar completed works each having capacity not less than 6.25 MW (AC) or one similar completed work having a capacity not less than 10 MW (AC).

On financial turf, the average annual financial turnover during the last 3 years of the bidders must be at least Rs. 55 crore for Category-I, Rs. 160 crore for Category-II, and Rs. 315 Cr for Category-III.

In order to become a Net Zero Energy Company, CIL has planned to establish 3 GW solar PV power projects and has been exploring options for the development of solar PV projects by CIL and its subsidiaries over its land or at other locations in India along with development of large-scale solar PV projects to be established on competitive bidding in solar parks or bilaterally identified projects.