Solar Energy Corporation of India has invited proposals for the supply of 1,000 MW of excess renewable power from projects that already have valid power purchase agreements. The request for selection targets surplus renewable energy available during solar hours from developers generating power beyond their contracted commitments.

Under the proposal, selected bidders will sign a fresh power purchase agreement with SECI for a period of 12 years, in line with the terms and conditions set out in the request document. The initiative is aimed at improving utilisation of renewable generation capacity and supporting grid availability during periods of high solar output.

The Ministry of Power has already issued guidelines for tariff-based competitive bidding for the procurement of firm and dispatchable renewable power combined with energy storage systems, through a gazette notification dated June 9, 2023. In line with these guidelines, developers participating in the current selection process will be required to set up ISTS-connected renewable energy projects along with energy storage systems and the associated transmission infrastructure up to the delivery point.

Developers will remain responsible for meeting supply obligations under their existing power purchase agreements, while also supplying excess renewable power to SECI in accordance with the new agreement and selection conditions.

The scheduled commencement of supply of excess power has been fixed at 18 months from the effective date of the new power purchase agreement. Bidders are required to submit an earnest money deposit of Rs 0.0954 million per MW for each project, in the form of a bank guarantee as specified in the request document.

The last date for online bid submission is January 30, 2026, while offline submissions will close on February 3, 2026. SECI said the initiative is intended to encourage developers to make better use of installed capacity and contribute to a more flexible and resilient renewable energy supply for the national grid.