Ajmer Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (AVVNL) has issued a bid invitation for a total capacity of 269 MW grid-connected solar projects under Component A of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) programme. The bid submission deadline is November 29, 2024.
The project includes design, supply, installation, testing, commissioning, and 25-year operations and maintenance, including associated 11 kV lines to connect with 33/11 kV substations. The work also entails constructing control rooms and any related civil structures necessary for commissioning and remote monitoring. AVVNL will purchase the generated power at a levelised tariff of Rs 3.04 per kWh for a 25 year period. The modules used in these projects must comply with the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers, with projects achieving a minimum capacity utilisation factor of 17 per cent.
According to the tender guidelines, the bidders must offer a minimum decentralised solar power capacity of 500 kW to 2 MW on unused or barren land within a 5 km radius of 33/11 kV substations. Furthermore, the bidders are required to submit a deposit of Rs 100,000 per MW and a tender document fee of Rs 5,000. The projects may be developed by farmers on their land, individually or in partnerships with cooperatives, farmer groups, or developers. In cases of multiple bids at a single substation, selection will be based on the lowest offered tariff in ascending order, with the levelised tariff serving as the ceiling rate.
In March 2024, AVVNL issued tenders for a total of 339 solar projects with a cumulative capacity of 768.4 MW under Component C of PM KUSUM, including a 72.33 MW grid-connected solar power project. The project will be developed under the Renewable Energy Service Company model, at an anticipated cost of Rs 35 million per MW.
