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The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has released a Request for Selection (RfS) document to identify wind power developers for the establishment of 500 MW of Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS)-connected wind power projects in India. This initiative, part of SECI’s Tranche-XVII, aims to develop wind power projects that will supply energy to SECI, with the developers bearing all associated costs, including the construction of the transmission network up to the interconnection point.
Under this RfS, the wind power projects will employ wind power technology but the selection process will remain technology-agnostic. The selection will involve an e-bidding process followed by an e-Reverse Auction (e-RA). Each bidder, which can include the bidder’s parent company, affiliates, or group companies, must submit a single bid offering a minimum of 50 MW and a maximum of 250 MW of contracted capacity. Bids can be submitted in decimal values up to two decimal places. If a bid contains more than two decimal places, it will be truncated to two decimal places. The total capacity allocated to any bidder and its related entities will be capped at 250 MW.
The wind power developers (WPDs) must commission their projects following the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) (Indian Electricity Grid Code) Regulations, 2023, as amended. Developers must notify SECI and the buying entity at least 90 days before the proposed commissioning date with a preliminary notice and 30 days with an advance notice. Additionally, a seven-day notice is required for a trial run or repeat trial run to the relevant Regional Load Dispatch Centre (RLDC), the buying entities, and SECI. If a repeat trial run occurs within 48 hours of a failed trial run, no fresh notice is required. Before selling any power to third parties before the Commercial Operation Date (COD), the WPD must obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from SECI. If the buying entity is ready to accept this power according to regulations before the COD, then the power will be scheduled to the buying entity as per the CERC regulations.
Part commencement of power supply from the project is permissible, provided that the first part’s minimum capacity is either 50% of the project capacity or 50 MW, whichever is lower. This partial commencement does not affect penalties for delayed supply as stipulated in the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). For ISTS-connected projects, the first part must be at least 50 MW. Subsequent parts must have a minimum capacity of 10 MW, with the final part completing the balance capacity. The Scheduled Commencement of Supply Date (SCSD) for the entire project remains 24 months from the effective date of the PPA. The PPA duration remains unchanged regardless of partial or full commencement dates.
The effective date of the PPA will determine the SCSD. For instance, if the PPA becomes effective on January 7, 2024, the SCSD will be on January 7, 2026. The required Performance Bank Guarantee or Contract Performance Security is ₹32,45,000. The project completion time is set at 24 months.
Key dates for the bidding process include the end of the tender document sale on July 8, 2024, the bid submission deadline on July 10, 2024, and the bid opening on July 11, 2024. This structured approach aims to streamline the selection and implementation of wind power projects, ensuring a transparent and competitive process for the development of India’s renewable energy sector.
Please view the tender document here for more details.
