The government is planning to invite bids for solar power projects of 1,500 MW under its flagship Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM).

The bidding process is part of the second batch of Phase-II of JNNSM. It has already tendered 750 MW of solar power projects in January 2014, as part of this phase. Through this bidding process the government is planning to achieve a capacity addition of 10,000 MW, by 2017.

The solar power produced in Phase-II will be bundled with the existing unallocated quota of conventional power. The pooled power will be sold at an average rate to the distribution companies.

The bundling of power and its sale will be handled by NVVN (NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam). The average cost of the bundled power will be around Rs 4 - 4.5 per unit.

At present, India’s solar power capacity of the country is 2,600 MW and it is expected to cross 20,000 MW, by 2022.