OREDA Tender For 500 MW Solar Under KUSUM Scheme

• OREDA has launched a tender under KUSUM scheme of the central government to develop 500 MW PV capacity
• Developers will be able to bid for a minimum of 500 kW and a maximum of up to 2 MW capacity with bids capped at INR 3.08 per kWh
• It will enable the GRIDCO to meet its solar RPO, while also generating income for those whose land is leased for the projects, and generate local employment

The Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency (OREDA) has solicited proposals from solar power generators for the development of a maximum of 500 MW solar power capacity under the federal government's Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) scheme, also referred to as PM-KUSUM scheme.

For the background, the KUSUM scheme is aimed at installing 30.8 GW solar power capacity by 2022 through components A, B and C. The OREDA tender will source PV capacity under component A wherein the national target is to achieve 10 GW capacity through decentralized ground mounted grid connected renewable energy plants (see MNRE Revises Solar Target Under PM-KUSUM Scheme).

Under the request for proposals (RFP) issued, OREDA wants the 500 MW capacity to be built on build-own-operate (BOO) basis capping tariffs at INR 3.08 ($0.042) per kWh. Interested bidders can bid for a minimum capacity of 500 kW and maximum of up to 2 MW, in multiples of 50 kW.

Clean solar power generated will be procured by the Grid Corporation of Odisha (GRIDCO) under a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) to meet its solar renewable purchase obligation (RPO), and to also support individual farmers, group of farmers, cooperatives, panchayat (village council) among others by leasing their lands for the project.

One of the objectives of the project is also to reduce carbon footprint to 6,66,500 tons annually during the PPA duration, as well as to generate local employment.

Last date to submit proposals online is June 22, 2021 while offline submissions will be accepted till June 24, 2021, as per the RFP documents on OREDA's website.  

In November 2020, OREDA signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to develop grid connected agrivoltaic projects in Odisha (see India PV News Snippets: NTPC, SECI, Adani, BSES).