DVC Tender Invites Bids For 10 MW Solar Projects In Jharkhand

Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) has floated a tender inviting the bids for installation and subsequent commission of 10 MW grid-connected solar power projects at the thermal station in Koderma in Jharkhand. The bid will extend to the services, operation and maintenance of the project for ten years. The tender mentions July 28 as last date for the submission of the bids.

According to the tender, among the criterion for eligibility are that the net working capital or access to credit facilities of the bidder must be about Rs 17.57 crores in the last financial year and the annual turnover of the three years out of the last five financial years should not be less than Rs 70.2 cr.

The earnest money to be deposited by a bidder is Rs 52 lacs besides an amount worth 3% of the values as performance bank guarantee within 30 days from the letter of the award, nine months after which the project must be commissioned.

Given the importance of a tender, a bidder should have commissioned grid-connected solar power projects of a cumulative capacity of 5 MW or higher out of which at least two projects should have been of 1 MW or higher capacity. DVC had invited the bids from EPC contractors to set up a 12 MW grid-connected ground mounted solar power project with associated systems including the power evacuation system at Koderma Thermal Power Station.

Last week, the Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI) had floated a tender for setting up of grid connected 30 MW Floating Solar PV (FSPV) Plants on raw water reservoirs of Damodar Valley Corporation thermal power plants at Koderma, Mejia and Raghunathpur thermal power stations across Jharkhand and West Bengal. Out of 30 MW FPSV, 6MW was meant for DVC. The push for floating solar in Jharkhand and eastern states with low solar power penetration due to lack of industry as well as waste land, makes eminent sense. The use of reservoirs is the most practical approach to add incremental capacity for now, even as other opportunities like rooftop solar wind their way through the policy quagmire.