SECI invites EPC tender for 100MW floating Solar Project in Ranchi

The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued an international tender inviting players for an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) project to install a 100 megawatt (MW) floating solar power plant in the state of Jharkhand. The tender says that the project will be based in the Getalsud Dam that lies near Ranchi. The dam was constructed in 1971  on river Subarnarekha to provide irrigation and drinking water for the city and its environs. It is a popular picnic spot too.

As per the SECI notification, the last submission date for tender is March 31, 2022 and the pre-bid meeting will happen on February 25, 2022. Bidders will need to submit a security of Rs 7 crore or $1 million and the successful bidder shall deposit a performance security which shall be 10% of the contract value. The project, if and when done, will easily be the largest solar project in Jharkhand, a habitual defaulter on meeting its renewable purchase obligations. So far, the state has depended on corporate promises to set up large ground mounted solar plants, mostly for captive consumption.

The scope of work comprises design, supply, engineering, construction, erection, testing and final commissioning of the floating solar plant. Winning bidders are also required to provide comprehensive operation and maintenance (O&M) services for the next 10 years for the project

The minimum average turnover of a bidder is also required to be Rs 263 crores or $35 million when calculated for the last three financial years. The player must also have liquid assets and line of credit to the tune of Rs 110 crores

To participate in the bidding process, a developer is needed to have installed ground mounted solar projects of at least 50 MW in the last five years. The developer should also have completed two projects of 10 MW each and should have been in operation for at least six months.

SECI has also set a capacity utilization factor or CUF or 21.6% for the project which means that the vendor will be held liable to pay a compensation of Rs 4/kWh for the difference in units derived from guaranteed CUF and achieved CUF if there is a failure to achieve guaranteed annual CUF.

The Jharkhand Cabinet had approved this floating solar power project in June last year on Getalsud Dam which is just on the outskirts of the capital city of the state. It will be the state’s first large scale solar project.