MNRE issues amendments in guidelines for the tariff-based competitive bidding process for solar PV projects

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) along with the Ministry of Power (MoP) recently announced the amendments to the guidelines for the tariff-based competitive bidding process for procurement & Power from grid-connected solar PV power projects. The amendments made to the guidelines dated 3rd August 2017 and amended on 15th June 2018 are as follows:
Amendment in Point 9: Indicative time table for the bid process

Amendment in Point 12: Financial closure
“Solar Power Generator shall attain the financial closure in terms of the PPA, within 9 (nine) months from the date of execution of the Power Purchase Agreement, for projects being set up in Solar park, and within 12 (twelve) months from the date of execution of the Power Purchase Agreement, for projects being set up outside Solar park. However, if for any reason, the time period for attaining the financial closure needs to be kept smaller than that provided in these Guidelines, the Procurer can do the same.”
Amendment in Point 14.3: Commissioning schedule
“The projects shall be commissioned, within a period of 15 (fifteen) months from the date of execution of the PPA, for projects being set up in Solar park, and within a period of 18 (eighteen) months from the date of execution of the PPA, for projects being set up outside Solar park…”
The issued amendments might be intended to bring discipline and consistency in the competitive bidding process as the government intends to achieve renewable energy installed capacity of 175 GW by 2022.