India PV News Snippets: SJVN, BSUL, OIL, Telangana

• SJVN has issued a tender seeking to purchase 1,500-acre single connected patch of land to set up solar power projects
• Bundelkhand plans to develop a 1.2 GW solar park and is seeking a consultant to prepare DPR; it has also invited bids from EPC companies for 65 MW solar project
• OIL has sought expression of interest to enlist EPC companies for 100 MW AC solar power capacity to be set up anywhere in India
• Telangana temple to source solar power from Sun Technology to save on annual power bills

SJVN wants 1,500-acre land for solar: Indian hydropower company SJVN Limited wants to buy 1,500 acres of land to set up solar power projects in the state of Rajasthan and has issued a tender for the same. It needs to be a single connected patch within 20 kms from Rjasthan Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (RVPN) or state transmission utility (STU) grid sub-station (GSS) 220kV and above, where estimate spare capacity of a minimum 350 MW is or will be available as on December 2021. GSS with all requisite statutory clearances and inclusive of chain link fencing around the periphery. Last date to submit bids online is November 23, 2020 and offline submissions can be made till November 30, 2020. Detailed tender is available on SJVN website. In July 2020, SJVN launched a tender to acquire solar and hydropower projects in India (see SJVN Launches Tender To Acquire Hydro/Solar Projects).

1.2 GW solar park in Bundelkhand: Bundelkhand Saur Urja Limited (BSUL) is looking for a consultant to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) for the development of a 1.2 GW solar park in Jalaun district of Bundelkhand in Uttar Pradesh. Scope of work would cover feasibility study, wind and solar resource assessment, energy yield estimation, among others. Last date to submit bids is November 16 and 17, 2020 for online and offline modes, respectively.

BSUL has separately also invited bids for EPC contract for development of 65 MW solar PV project and its 10 years O&M services. Project is to be located at Parasan village in Uttar Pradesh's Kalpi district. Bids can be submitted till November 18, 2020.

OIL tender for 100 MW AC solar: Oil and natural gas producer Oil India Limited (OIL) has launched a tender to enlist EPC vendors to establish 100 MW AC solar power capacity in any state of India. Job description also includes comprehensive operation and maintenance (O&M) for a period of 25 years. The state-owned company already has 2 solar energy power plants with a combined capacity of 14 MW in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. It wants to add this 100 MW AC capacity by participating in tenders of various central and state agencies. Responses to this expression of interest (EOI) will be accepted till November 27, 2020.

Last year, OIL issued an EOI to set up 100 MW solar power capacity anywhere in India under Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU) phase-II (see Oil India Limited Launches 100 MW Solar PV Tender).

Telangana temple to go solar: A local newspaper report in The New Indian Express claims the Bhadrachalam Ramalayam Temple in Telangana is set to be the 1^st temple in the state to go solar under an agreement signed with Sun Technology to install solar panels at the temple and its cottages for an investment of INR 30 million ($0.4 million). Sun Technology, under the memorandum of understanding (MoU) entered, will supply solar power to the temple for the next 25 years charging INR 5.20 ($0.070) per kWh for power consumption below 100 kW. If the consumption is lower above 100 kW, the tariff will drop to INR 4.80 ($0.065) per kWh. Temple authorities are hoping to lower their annual power bills to INR 4 million with the help of solar power, a significant decline from their current bill of INR 10 million. The report added the step was initiated as the temple authorities have been facing financial issues since the lockdown was implemented.