MSEDCL floats 431 MW solar tender in Maharashtra

Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd. (MSEDCL) has invited bids for the procurement of 431 MW solar power from decentralised solar projects of minimum 0.5 MW to maximum 2 MW capacity under component-A of PM Kusum Scheme to be developed in Maharashtra.

Key details of the tender released by MSEDCL are as follows:

• Pre-bid Conference Meeting Date & Location: 13.05.2022 (Through VC); Website –www.mahadiscom,in (VC link be notified later)
• Last date & Time for Online Submission of Response to RfS/EoI: 03.06.2022; Time 17:00 Hrs
• Technical Bid Opening: Will be informed to eligible bidders
• Financial Bid Opening: Will be informed to eligible bidders
• Ceiling Tariff: Rs. 3.10 per unit
• e- Reverse Auction: Will be informed to eligible bidders
• Cost of RfS/EoI Document: Nil
• Processing Fee (non-refundable): Rs. 5,000 per MW + 18% GST to be paid through online payment.
• EMD: Rs. 1 Lakh / MW is to be submitted in the form of Bank Guarantee
• The project should be designed for delivery of energy at 11 / 22 kV level of substation of MSEDCL.

Eligibility criteria decided by MSEDCL for the selection of developers is as follows:

• The Net-Worth of the Bidder for the financial year ended on 31.03.2020 shall not be less than INR 1.0 Crores per MW (of the capacity quoted)
• A minimum annual turnover of Rs. 25 lakhs/MW of the quoted capacity during the previous financial year 2019-2020.

In July 2019, the Government of India 2019 appointed MSEDCL and other discoms as the implementing agency for the “Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthan Mahabhiyan‟ (PM-KUSUM) Scheme launched for farmers. Under the scheme, distributed generation of power from solar energy projects will be consumed for agriculture load at local level. In doing so, distribution losses are expected to be reduced.

Solar plants near these sub-stations may be developed, preferably by farmers, giving the latter an opportunity to increase their income by utilising their barren and uncultivable land for solar or other renewable energy based power plants.