Gujarat invites bids for 1,125 MW Solar Projects in Khavda

Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam (GUVNL) has announced a call for bids for the procurement of power from 1,125 MW grid-connected solar power projects. These projects are intended to be established at Gujarat State Electricity Corporation (GSECL)'s renewable energy park in Khavda (GSECL Stage-3) without incorporating energy storage. The deadline for bid submissions is February 15, 2023, with the bid opening scheduled for February 19. Interested bidders are required to submit Rs 25,000 ($300) + 18% GST as the cost of the tender document. Additionally, a bid processing fee of Rs 3,00,000 ($3,603) is applicable, along with an earnest money deposit of Rs 9,28,000 ($11,146) per MW of the quoted capacity. Upon being selected, the successful bidder must provide an amount equivalent to Rs 2.32 million ($27,866) per MW of the allocated capacity as a performance bank guarantee after receiving the letter of intent but before signing the power purchase agreement (PPA). Bidders must offer a minimum capacity of 50 MW. Eligibility criteria include consideration for projects under construction, those not yet operational, and those already operational without a long-term PPA. This applies only to projects not accepted under other central or state programs and free from obligations to existing buyers. The signing of the PPA with GUVNL by successful bidders must occur within 30 days of receiving the letter of intent or within ten days from the Gujarat Commission's adoption of the tariff, whichever is later. To minimise technology risk and ensure timely project commissioning, only commercially established and operational technologies are allowed. Bidders are required to have a net worth not less than Rs 9.28 million ($97,574) per MW of the quoted capacity, based on the last financial year's figures. Eligibility for bidding is extended to entities from countries sharing a land border with India.