Solar Energy Corp. of India (SECI) has launched a tender for 700 megawatt (MW) of interstate transmission system (ISTS)-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) projects to supply electricity to a commercial and industrial buying entity in Odisha. The projects are required to be located within special economic zones (SEZs) or areas designated as export-oriented units (EOUs) so that the power can be sold to an EOU of the buying entity. The tender has been structured under a build-own-operate (BOO) model and seeks developers to construct ISTS-connected capacity for long-term offtake.

Under the request for selection (RfS), SECI will sign 25-year power purchase agreements (PPAs) with successful bidders and act as an intermediary nodal agency procuring electricity from selected developers and selling it on a back-to-back basis. The tender documents state that details of the buying entities will be intimated at a later date, and SECI will manage the contractual interface between generators and the buying entity. Developers will be expected to manage all aspects of project delivery, including land acquisition and project development.

The arrangement is intended to allow the projects to qualify for an exemption from the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) requirements in accordance with a May 2024 circular issued by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). The exemption is contingent on projects being established within SEZs or EOUs as specified in the circular, and developers must ensure compliance with the relevant conditions. Developers are also required to obtain grid connectivity and to construct transmission networks up to the agreed interconnection or delivery points.

Selection of solar PV projects for the total capacity will be carried out through e-bidding followed by an e-reverse auction process, with bids accepted for a minimum contracted capacity of 50 MW and a maximum quantum of 700 MW. A single project may be implemented at multiple locations with different delivery points to meet the contracted capacity and to optimise grid access. The tender aims to attract developers capable of delivering utility-scale solar capacity for commercial and industrial offtake in Odisha under long-term contractual structures.