Maharashtra Invites Bid for 50000 Solar Pumps Under PM-KUSUM Yojna

Continuing with its efforts to encourage innovation in the solar pump industry, Maharashtra Energy Development Agency (MEDA) has invited bids to install 50000 solar water pumps under component-B of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) Yojna. These pumps will be grid-connected submersible of 3, 5, and 7.5 horsepower (HP).

The last date for submitting the bid for this 50,000 solar power pump project is October 17, 2022, and bids will be opened on October 18, 2022.

For five years, the winning bidder will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the installed pumps. The goal of this tender is to encourage innovation in solar pumps by allowing innovators to demonstrate their innovations in actual field settings. According to the tender document, the work must be completed within 90 days of the order being received. 

The estimated cost of the tender is 1,173 crores. Each interested bidder will have to pay Rs. 10 lakhs (including 18% GST) as an earnest money deposit (EMD)/bid security amount. Startups and small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are excluded from providing the EMD. As solar water pump value is different in every state, the selected bidder will also be required to submit a bank guarantee of 3% of the amount equivalent to the 10% of the value of the total state-wise allocation of 100 solar water pumps, whichever is lower. Bidders must provide an additional bank guarantee with a value equal to the difference if the number of solar water pumps exceeds 10% of the overall state-wise allocation or 100 pumps.

The cost of solar pumps is Rs. 170,301 for 3HP DC, Rs. 237,035 for 5HP DC, and Rs. 329,000 for 7.5HP DC, according to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). Bidders in the open category must have previously set up 3,000 solar pumps. 

The average annual turnover of the Open category bidders should be Rs. 70.95 crores & SMEs must have an average annual turnover of Rs. 17.78 crores in the preceding for any three out of the last four years. The net worth of the bidder should be equal to or greater than Rs. 90 lakhs/MW of the quoted capacity, as of the last date of the previous financial year.

Bidders can view/download this MEDA solar water pumps under PM-KUSUM Yojna tender documents and technical specifications here.

Recently, Maharashtra invited an Expression of Interest to establish six solar power plants in six different regions of Maharashtra with a cumulative capecity of 600 MW. Each plant has 100 MW of capacity.