Assam Power Distribution Company (APDCL) is inviting bids for the procurement of 50 MW of power from a ground-mounted solar photovoltaic project. The project will be installed in Sitalmari Village under Borsola Revenue Circle, Dhekiajuli, Assam, under the “Build-Own-Operate” model, and the selected developer will be responsible for power evacuation from the project to the nearest substation/delivery point.
Bidders can participate either as a single bidder or as a consortium, but in the case of a consortium or a foreign bidder, it is mandatory to incorporate a special purpose vehicle (SPV). The bidder or its affiliates should have designed, supplied, erected, or supervised the erection and commissioning of a solar photovoltaic grid-connected power project of cumulative installed capacity of 15 MW anywhere in the world during the last five years before the bid submission deadline, and at least one project should be grid-connected to 5 MW capacity or above.
The last date for the submission of bids is March 9, 2023, and bidders will have to submit an earnest money deposit of ₹40.3 million. The successful bidder must furnish an amount of ₹100.8 million as a performance bank guarantee. The selected developers will be required to sign the power purchase agreement (PPA) with APDCL.
In the price bid, the bidder must quote the “Initial Quoted Tariff,” which cannot be more than ₹4 (~$0.04)/kWh. The project should be commissioned within 18 months from the execution of the PPA, and the declared Capacity Utilization Factor must, in no case, be less than 16.21% over a year. Bidders will be responsible for identifying suitable substation/grid substation and carrying out any evacuation assessment study, at their own cost, with respect to the project’s connectivity to the grid substation.
The APDCL has recently invited bids from solar power developers to set up 10 MW grid-connected solar photovoltaic power projects under Phase II of the Central Public Sector Undertaking program. In November 2022, APDCL invited bids from consultants to prepare a detailed project report for a 1 GW grid-connected solar project in the Karbi Anglong district of Assam.
The APDCL’s initiative to procure solar power will not only help to reduce the dependence on fossil fuels but also promote the use of clean energy. The project will create job opportunities and contribute to the socio-economic development of the region.