Coal India Issues EPC Tender For 1 GW Solar Project in Rajasthan

Coal India Issues EPC Tender For 1 GW Solar Project in Rajasthan

Coal India Limited (CIL) has now issued an EPC tender to develop a 1 GW (AC) solar project in the Bikaner district of Rajasthan. This project is planned to be set up in the Pugal tehsil of Bikaner. It will be developed either by Coal India or through its proposed Joint Venture with Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (RRVUNL).

Tender Details and Requirements

The Maharatna company of the Indian government in its tender mandated developing the project and ensuring its Operations and Maintenance (O&M) for the initial five years.

“The Applicant needs to propose the capacity (in MWAC) for which it can provide the EPC service. The minimum capacity proposed by an Applicant cannot be less than 200 MWAC and the maximum proposed capacity will be 1000 MWAC,” the tender read. The Coal India tender said that the scope of the tender will involve turnkey EPC of the entire plant, including solar modules along with the Balance of Systems (BoS).

Capacity Utilisation and Design Specifications

The tender stated that the prescribed Capacity Utilisation Factor (CUF) of the project should be a minimum of 28%. “The Solar Power Plant should be designed for interconnection with the pooling substation at the Solar Park through dedicated cable/line at voltage level of 33 kV. EPC Contractor will have to connect their project to the pooling substation at 33 kV through dedicated cable/line,” the tender read.

CIL’s Role in India’s Energy Sector

Coal India Limited (CIL) produces around 85% of India’s overall coal production. CIL contributes to 55% of total power generation and meets 40% of the primary commercial energy requirements of the country. The firm has now also planned to increase its green portfolio, ensuring 5 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2028. As part of this initiative, the company plans to utilize abandoned coal mine sites for developing solar projects.

Background and Operational Scale

Coal India Limited (CIL), the state-owned coal mining corporation, was established in November 1975. CIL operates through its subsidiaries in 84 mining areas spread across eight (8) states of India. As of April 1, 2022, Coal India Limited has 318 mines, of which 141 are underground, 148 are open-cast, and 19 are mixed mine