GUVNL announces tenders for 700 MW solar capacity in the state

The Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (GUVNL) has tendered 700 MW of grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) power project which will be set up at Raghanesda Solar Park – Gujarat (Phase III). Key points from the tender are as below:

• The bid-submission deadline: Nov 15, 2018
• Pre-bid meeting: October 17, 2018
• Objective: The capacity to be tendered is to fulfill the RPO and to meet the future requirements to the state DISCOMs.
• Type of auction: Build Own Operate basis
• The projects will be developed on three plots. While two plots have specifications for 250 MW each, the third one will have 200 MW of solar projects. The bidders can bid for the following capacities: 700 MW, 500 MW, 450 MW, 250 MW, or 200 MW. One must bid for the entire plot or a combination of two or three plots.
• Earnest Money @ Rs. 10 Lakh / MW is to be submitted in the form of Bank Guarantee along with the Response to RfS.
• PPA period: 25 years
• The applicable land lease charges at the Raghanesda Solar Park has been set at ₹10,000/Hectare/Year with an increment rate of 15 percent every three years.

For this particular tender, GUVNL has not set any ceiling tariff. Also, the current tender is announced after the very competitive tariff discovered of INR 2.44/kWh in the last month’s 500 MW tender. Further, In a recent order, GERC has also imposed an additional surcharge of 0.44/kWh to all open access consumers who fall under GUVNL’s discoms. Renewable energy generators who also fall under the third-party sale category will have to pay the additional surcharge according to the order.