SECI Issues RfS for 1.2 GW of ISTS Wind-Solar Hybrid Projects

SECI has issued a tender for setting up ISTS-connected wind-solar hybrid power projects in India, for an aggregate capacity of 1.2 GW.

The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued a tender, inviting proposals from eligible bidders for setting up ISTS-connected wind-solar hybrid power projects in India (Tranche-IV), on a Build Own Operate (BOO) basis for an aggregate capacity of 1200 MW (1.2 GW). 

SECI has been designated as a trader for the purchase and sale of power from such projects. SECI shall enter into Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the successful bidders selected based on this RfS and Power Sale Agreement with the interested Buying Entities.

Buying Entities and bulk consumers which require wind-solar hybrid power to fulfill their solar and non-solar RPO under respective RPO regulations will be eligible to buy wind-solar hybrid power under this scheme. SECI shall sign PPAs with the Hybrid Power Developers (HPDs) at the respective tariffs discovered after e-reverse auction and back-to-back Power Sale Agreements (PSAs) with the Buying Entities at a pooled price of the total capacity allotted. The duration of the PPAs and PSAs shall be 25 years from the Scheduled Commissioning Date of the Projects.

As per the RfS, the minimum bid capacity shall be 50 MW, with at least 50 MW of project capacity being proposed at each project site, and the maximum bid capacity under the RfS shall be 1200 MW.

Under this RfS, a hybrid power project shall mean a project comprising two ‘components’ – one solar and one wind power project. The rated installed project capacity of either of the two components shall be at least 33 percent of the contracted capacity i.e. at least a third of the capacity won in the auctions must be one of the two power sources.

SECI has allowed for the solar project component to be sub-divided into a number of ‘blocks’, being set up at multiple locations, if required. However, such blocks for a single solar project component shall be located within the same state.

To be eligible for participating in the bidding process, the net worth of the bidder should be equal to or greater than Rs 1 crore per MW of the quoted capacity, as on the last date of previous Financial Year 2019-20. And they must have a minimum annual turnover of Rs 75 lakh/MW of the quoted capacity during the previous Financial Year (FY) 2019-20 or as on the date at least 7 days prior to the due date of bid submission.

The last date for bid submission is May 28, 2021, and the techno-commercial bids will be opened on June 2, 2021. The bidders will be required to submit a Performance Bank Guarantee (PBG) for a value of Rs 10 lakh/MW/project latest by at least 7 working days prior to the signing of PPA.

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