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Solar Energy Corporation of India Floats Tender for 10 MW Solar Project with 20 MWh BESS in Odisha

Bids invited under VGF scheme; submission deadline set for March 23, 2026. The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued a tender for the development of a 10 MW grid-connected solar power project integrated with a 10 MW/20 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in Odisha. The project will be supported through viability gap funding (VGF).

Interested bidders must submit their proposals by March 23, 2026, with bid opening scheduled for March 27. Participants are required to submit an earnest money deposit (EMD) of Rs14.2 million (approximately $157,106) along with a non-refundable tender document fee of Rs50,000 (around $551). The successful bidder must furnish a performance bank guarantee of Rs35.6 million (approximately $392,766).

The ceiling tariff for the project has been fixed at Rs2.70 (~$0.029) per kWh. The tender provides VGF support of Rs10 million (~$110,250) per MW. Additionally, the selected developer must pay a success fee of Rs100,000 (~$1,103) per MW, plus applicable taxes, to SECI.

The scope of work includes comprehensive design, engineering, procurement, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of the solar plant along with the battery storage system and related transmission infrastructure up to the delivery point.

The developer will also be responsible for securing grid connectivity approvals, arranging land in clear possession with a minimum requirement of 1.5 hectares per MW, and undertaking operation and maintenance activities throughout the 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) period.

Under the project terms, developers must guarantee a peak power supply of 2,000 kWh per MW of rated capacity for two hours daily during peak demand hours between 6 PM and 9 AM. The minimum declared capacity utilisation factor (CUF) has been set at 17%.

Eligibility criteria require bidders to demonstrate a minimum net worth of Rs142.5 million (~$1.57 million). They must also meet one of the following financial benchmarks: an annual turnover of Rs40.2 million (~$443,602), profit before depreciation, interest and taxes of Rs8.04 million (~$88,718), or an in-principle line of credit of Rs10.05 million (~$110,901).

Only solar modules and cells listed under the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) List-I and List-II are permitted for the project.

The commissioning deadline is 13 months from the effective date of the PPA. Delays of up to three months will result in encashment of the performance bank guarantee. Further delays will attract a tariff reduction of Rs0.50 (~$0.005) per kWh per day, and projects delayed beyond 24 months may face termination.