SECI Calls For 1,200 MW FDRE Projects With ESS

SECI has launched a tender for 1,200 MW of assured peak renewable power backed by energy storage

Renewable energy with storage, renewable energy hybrid, solar-wind-storage

SECI's FDRE Tranche IX tender targets reliable peak-hour renewable power supply backed by energy storage across India. (Illustrative Photo; Photo Credit: petrmalinak/Shutterstock.com)

Published on:

Jun 08, 2026, 8:56 am

Key Takeaways

SECI is inviting bids for 1,200 MW (4,800 MWh) of ISTS-connected FDRE projects with mandatory ESS
Developers can own the ESS or source it from a 3rd party, but only renewable energy-charged storage will qualify as RE power
Winning projects will sign 25-year PPAs with SECI, with bid submissions closing on July 22, 2026

The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) is inviting bids for the assured peak power supply of 4,800 MWh (1,200 MW x 4 hours) from Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS)-connected renewable energy projects in India. Projects must be accompanied by an energy storage system (ESS) mandatorily.

Launched under firm and dispatchable renewable energy (FDRE) tranche-IX, the call is for projects to be built on a build-own-operate (BOO) basis.

A bidder must offer a single bid with a minimum contracted capacity of 50 MW and a maximum of 600 MW. Only ESS charged with renewable energy power will be considered as supplying RE power. The ESS can be owned by the developer or procured through a 3rd party. The developer is also allowed to change the ESS technology at any time during the power purchase agreement (PPA) term, according to the tender documents.

Eligible projects must be designed for interconnection with the ISTS/InSTS. Bidders will be free to choose the ISTS substation for interconnection, with injection scheduling rights during non-solar hours on a pan-India basis, provided sufficient space is available.

Interested bidders will be required to identify suitable land for their project and secure necessary approvals for its installation and interconnection with the local grid. The scope of work also includes building a transmission network up to the interconnection or delivery point at their own cost.

Solar modules used for the projects must qualify to the latest edition of the IEC PV module qualification test or equivalent BIS standards, as specified in the request for proposals (RFP) document. The tender specifies that solar cells and modules for the eligible projects must be procured from a manufacturer listed in the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) List-I and List-II (see India Brings ALMM List-II For Solar Cells Into Force).

Projects already commissioned or under construction with untied capacity are eligible to participate in the tender.

Power generated from the winning facilities will be sold to different buying entities in India by SECI, the intermediary nodal agency for the sale of power on a back-to-back basis. SECI will enter a 25-year PPA with the winners.

SECI launched the tender on June 5, 2026. It has fixed July 22, 2026, as the last date for bid submission.

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