SECI Invites Bids for 1000 MW Battery Energy Storage Projects

Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued invited bids for the selection of battery energy storage system developers for setting up of 1000 MWh (500 MW x 2 hrs) battery energy storage systems in India for “on demand” usage under tariff-based competitive bidding (ESS-I). The Projects will be set up under “BOOT” model.

Key details of the tender are given below:

• TYPE OF BIDDING SYSTEM: TWO BID SYSTEM
• DOCUMENT FEE/ COST OF RfS DOCUMENT (NON- REFUNDABLE): INR 29,500/- including GST
• DOCUMENT PROCESSING FEE: Rs. 15 Lakh + 18% GST for each project
• EARNEST MONEY DEPOSIT (EMD): INR 7,40,000/- per MW per Project
• Project Completion Period: 18 months
• Pre Bid Meeting Date: 06-05-2022
• Bid Submission EndDate (Soft Copy): 10-06-2022
• Bid Submission End Date (Hard Copy): 14-06-2022
• Bid Open Date: 15-06-2022

“The total capacity of 500 MW/1000 MWh shall be set up at a single location, with two Projects each of 500 MWh (250 MW x 2 hrs) capacity to be set up at the identified location. A Bidder, including its Parent, Affiliate or Ultimate Parent or any Group Company shall submit a single bid offering a Contracted Capacity of either one project, (250MW/500 MWh) or 2 projects (2X (250 MW/500 MWh), in the prescribed formats,” states SECI in its tender document. It lays down the following eligibility criteria:

1. Technical Eligibility Criteria:

• Under this RfS, it is proposed to promote only commercially established and operational technologies to minimize the technology risk and to achieve timely commissioning of the Projects. The Bidder may indicate regarding the selection of technology and its details at the time of submission of bids in the prescribed format. The technology proposed at the time of submission of response to RfS can be changed at the time of Financial Closure.

2. Financial Eligibility Criteria:

• The Net Worth of the Bidder should be equal to or greater than INR 74,00,000/MW, as on the last date of previous Financial Year, i.e. FY 2020-21 or as on the day at least 7 days prior to the bid submission deadline.

3. Liquidity: In order to ascertain that the Bidder has sufficient means to manage the fund requirements for the Project, the Bidder shall be required to demonstrate at least one of the following parameters:

• A minimum annual turnover of INR 29,00,000 / MW of the quoted capacity (in MW) during the previous financial year, 2020-21 or as on the day at least 7 days prior to the bid submission deadline.
• Internal resource generation capability, in the form of Profit Before Depreciation Interest and Taxes (PBDIT) for a minimum amount of INR 5,80,000 / MW of the quoted capacity (in MW), as on the last date of previous financial year, 2020-21, or as on the day at least 7 days prior to the bid submission deadline.
• In-principle sanction letter from the lending institutions/banks of the Bidder, committing a Line of Credit for a minimum amount of INR 7,25,000 / MW of the quoted capacity (in MW), towards meeting the working capital requirement of the project quoted under this RfS. Such letter can also be obtained by the Affiliate(s) of the Bidder.