SECI invites bids for 1,200 MW wind power projects

State-run Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has floated a tender for 1,200 megawatt (MW) interstate transmission system (ISTS) connected wind power projects in the country under tariff-based competitive bidding. The pre-bid meeting for the same is on Friday and the last date of submitting the bids is February 18. “RfS (request for selection) for 1200 MW ISTS-connected wind power projects in India (Tranche-XIII) under tariff-based competitive bidding has been issued under the standard bidding guidelines. Connectivity and long-term open access shall be in the scope of the wind power developer,” SECI said. The project is on a Build Own Operate (BOO) basis for an aggregate capacity of 1,200 MW. The company shall enter into a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the successful bidders selected based on the RfS for purchase of wind power for 25 years based on the terms, conditions and provisions of the RfS and PPA, SECI added. “The bidders will be free to avail fiscal incentives like accelerated depreciation, concessional customs and excise duties, tax holidays as available for such projects. The same will not have any bearing on comparison of bids for selection,” the state-owned firm said. The successful bidder will have to complete the project in two years. Besides, identification of land, installation and ownership of the project, obtaining grid connectivity, long term access (LTA) and other necessary approvals and interconnection with the ISTS network for supply of power to SECI will be the responsibilities of the developer. The successful bidders would be selected through e-bidding followed by the e-reverse auction process. The bidders can submit a minimum bid of 50 MW and a maximum quantum of 1200 MW. Last month, SECI awarded a contract to Tata Power Solar Systems for setting up a 100 MW (AC) solar with 40 MW/120 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project at Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh. It is one of the largest grid-connected BESS projects in the country. . As of November 2021, India’s wind power installed capacity was more than 40 GW. As per the wind resource assessment by the National Institute of Wind Energy, the country’s estimated wind power potential is 695.5 GW at 120 meter above ground level. The tariff of wind power generation discovered in the latest bid of SECI is ₹2.69-2.70 per unit. India generated 64,646.38 million units (MU) of wind power in FY20 and in the following fiscal (FY21), the generation declined to 60,149.95 MU due to Covid and ensuing disruptions. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is also exploring avenues for developing the offshore wind sector. It is analysing various bidding strategies and project implementation models for development of 30 GW of offshore wind projects by 2030 in the country.