SoftBank Led SB Energy Leads Bidding on SECI 1200 MW Wind Auction

Bids totalling 2,325-MW capacity were received by SECI in response to the 1200 MW tender.

A host of other industry majors including SoftBank led SB Energy have marked their interest in Solar Energy Corporation of India’s (SECI) latest 1200 MW wind power tender. SB Energy has made its first bid for a standalone wind project in the country and has submitted an offer for developing 600 MW of the auctioned capacity.

Quashing fears surrounding land availability and the substandard transmission infrastructure, ReNew Power, France’s EDF and Italy based Enel Power have expressed their interest in developing 300 MW of the auctioned capacity. Adani Green Energy and France’s Engie each submitted bids worth 250 MW in the tender.

The tender drew bids for almost twice the size offered because of a fixed higher ceiling tariff of Rs 2.85/kWh applicable for the entire duration of the PPAs. The offset created by the higher tariff against hurdles such as land availability and the limited supporting infrastructure made the projects more attractive for RE companies.

Bids totalling 2,325-MW capacity were received by SECI, which had floated the tender under tranche-VI of wind power capacity in December, according to sources.

The positive response to the tender has come largely on account of the government actively trying to address land and transmission issues. Given this is a midsize tender, developers feel that they will be able to wade through these bottlenecks, industry experts said.

SECI extended the deadline for bid submissions on the final day by a few hours due to some technical difficulties.