The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co., Ltd. (MSEDCL) has issued a tender to procure 487 MW AC solar power capacity from decentralized solar projects within the state of Maharashtra, under Component A of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) Scheme.
The tender is to act as both expression of interest (EOI) as well as request for selection (RFS) for interested bidders. Minimum and maximum capacity of individual projects should range from 500 kW to 2 MW. Tariffs are capped at INR 3.10 per kWh. Power generated will be used to meet agriculture load at local level which will help reduce distribution losses, according to MSEDCL.
Ground mounted solar plants near substations may be developed, preferably by farmers under self-development mode, with a view to encouraging them to have another source of income generation while also using their barren land for solar or other renewable energy source. Projects may be installed on agricultural land, provided these are installed in a stilt position so as not to negatively impact farming activity, making these agrivoltaic projects as well.
As for location of the projects, MSEDCL wants these to be sited within 5 km radius of the substations to avoid high cost of sub-transmission lines and bring down transmission losses.
Winners shall enter into 25-year power purchase agreements (PPA) with the MSEDCL.
According to tender notice, last date to submit technical and financial bids is September 17, 2021.
This tender follows MSEDCL's June 2021 tender under PM-KUSUM Scheme to procure 500 MW AC solar power capacity under component A (see India PV News Snippets: UPNEDA, MSEDCL, Tata Power, HDFC).
Under PM-KUSUM scheme, the government aims to achieve 30.8 GW of solar PV capacity with the broader aim being socio-economic upliftment of farmers. Divided into 3 components, under component A, it wants to achieve 10 GW of PV capacity by 2022 (see MNRE Revises Solar Target Under PM-KUSUM Scheme).