The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has approved the Solar Energy Corporation of India’s (SECI) petition to adopt a tariff for its 1,200 MW interstate transmission system (ISTS)-connected solar projects, which include 600 MW/1,200 MWh of energy storage systems. The approved tariff ranges from Rs 3.41/kWh to Rs 3.42/kWh.

 

Following a competitive bidding process and an e-reverse auction conducted in July 2024, SECI awarded letters of award to nine shortlisted bidders. By September 2024, SECI had entered a power sale agreement with the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEBL) for 500 MW. 

CERC confirmed that SECI’s tendering process complied with the Ministry of Power’s competitive bidding guidelines and approved the tariffs for the full 1,200 MW capacity, even though only 500 MW had been tied up by the time of the hearing. SECI also sought approval for a trading margin of Rs 0.07/kWh from distribution companies. 

In a similar move, CERC recently approved SECI’s tariff for its 1,200 MW wind-solar hybrid power projects, with rates ranging from Rs 4.64/kWh to Rs 4.73/kWh. 

(Mercom)