Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has invited bids to select a renewable power developer for supplying 4,800 MWh, or 4.8 GWh, of peak power. Online bids must be submitted by October 29, 2026, while offline bids will be accepted until November 2, 2026.

The Firm and Dispatchable Renewable Energy (FDRE) tender covers a 1,200 MW project with four hours of storage. The project will be developed through Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS)-connected renewable energy projects in India on a Build-Own-Operate basis. The minimum bid capacity is 50 MW and the maximum is 600 MW for a parent company, affiliate, ultimate parent or group company.

Bidders can select the ISTS substations for connecting their projects to the grid and will receive injection scheduling rights during non-solar hours on a pan-India basis. The buying entity will select four peak hours each day for drawing power from the project. These hours may begin during the evening non-solar period and continue into the following morning, subject to the applicable state schedule defined by Grid Controller of India.

The tender requires the renewable power developer to supply 4,000 kWh during the selected peak hours for every MW of contracted project capacity. Supply must remain continuous for at least one hour. Developers must ensure that all annual energy offered is sourced from renewable energy, although up to 5 per cent can come from green market sources or bilateral agreements outside the power purchase agreement.

A shortfall of up to 400 MWh for every 100 MW of capacity during peak hours will attract a penalty calculated at 1.5 times the power purchase agreement tariff. Full project supply must begin 18 months after the power purchase agreement is signed. SECI previously awarded a 1,500 MW FDRE tender at tariffs ranging from Rs. 5.99/kWh to Rs. 6/kWh, after bidding rates declined from Rs. 8.5/kWh.