NTPC has once again extended the bid submission deadline for its tender to set up 1.2 GW interstate transmission system (ISTS)-connected solar power projects in India.
The company has extended the deadline to 15 July 2020 from the earlier deadline of 28 May 2020.
The pre-bid meeting will take place on 25 June 2020. The date for opening technical bids has been fixed on 16 July 2020. Interested bidders will have to pay an amount of Rs 4,00,000 (approximately USD 5,277) per MW as the earnest money deposit (EMD).
In April 2020, NTPC had extended the bid submission deadline to 28 May 2020, which was earlier fixed for 19 March 2020.
NTPC had floated this tender in February 2020. The ceiling tariff for the tender was be set at Rs 2.78 (approximately USD 0.038) per kWh.
The minimum capacity that a bidder can develop is 50 MW, and the total capacity that a bidder can quote is 600 MW.
Bidders can develop projects at multiple locations as long as each project is at least 50 MW. They are, however, allowed to only quote a single tariff for the entire capacity.
The developer will have to achieve financial closure for the projects within 12 months from the effective date of power purchase agreement (PPA). The tender also stated that the capacity utilisation factor (CUF) of the solar projects selected must not be less than 19 percent.
NTPC has 875 MW of large-scale solar projects in operation, and about 2.1 GW capacity is currently under development.
Earlier, NTPC also floated an invitation for bids from contractors for an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) package along with land for development of solar projects up to 600 MW capacity. These interstate transmission systems (ISTS) connected solar projects can be developed anywhere in India. The last date for submission of bids is 22 June 2020.