Results for Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited’s (SECI) auction to develop 1,500 MW inter-state transmission system connected solar power projects, tranche XIII, have been announced. The tender for the project was issued in December 2023. The project will be located in India. NTPC Renewable Energy has won 250 MW by quoting a tariff of Rs 2.57 per kWh. Other companies have won the following capacities: JSW Neo Energy – 700 MW, Sunsure Solarpark Fourteen (Sunsure Energy) – 300 MW and Tejorupa Renewables (UPC Renewables) – 250 MW, by quoting Rs 2.56 per kWh.
The chosen developers have the flexibility to select the project’s location and are responsible for ensuring connectivity to the ISTS, which includes the transmission network reaching up to the interconnection/delivery point. The project developer has the option to place the project in the state where the purchasing entity is located for state transmission utility (STU) interconnection. If both the buying entity and the project are situated in the same state, the developer can choose to interconnect the project at either the STU or intrastate transmission system substation, following the minimum voltage level specified in accordance with the relevant state regulations. The declared annual capacity utilisation factor (CUF) should be at least 17 per cent. The winning developers are required to maintain annual CUF ranging between +10 per cent and -15 per cent of the declared value.
Recently, in March 2024, JSW Energy inked a battery energy storage purchase agreement with SECI The agreement pertained to 250 MW/500 MWh of standalone battery energy storage, representing the initial portion of the total 500 MW/1,000 MWh capacity, which encompassed two projects of 250 MW/500 MWh each, as awarded by SECI.
