NTPC REL Issues Tender for 1000 MW Solar PV Projects in Karnataka

NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd. (NTPC REL) invites online bids from eligible bidders for the land and power evacuation package to develop 1000 MW ISTS-connected solar PV projects in the Bidar region of Karnataka.

This tender follows a Single Stage Two Envelope system, which includes a techno-commercial bid and a price bid. The scope of work involves multiple components. Firstly, bidders will need to arrange for the acquisition of government or private land, providing 5 acres per MW on a freehold or leasehold basis near the Bidar pooling substation. The lease period must be a minimum of 29 years and 11 months.

In addition, necessary access roads must be constructed to facilitate access to the pooling substation and interconnections between plots, utilising self-resources or state machinery. A topography survey of the land parcels is also required, including any necessary cutting or filling with a minimum 95 percent compaction as per standard Proctor density tests. The land slope should average 10 percent to accommodate tracker-based installations, with uniformity maintained for at least 100 meters in the north-south direction.

Furthermore, geotechnical investigations will be required for both the pooling substation and the transmission system, ensuring the foundation design meets requirements. Bidders will also need to install fencing around the offered land, complete with entry and exit gates and security cabins as per the tender drawings. Regarding power evacuation, bidders must arrange grid connectivity with the ISTS substation in Bidar, Karnataka. The design and construction aspect will involve engineering, supply, erection, testing, and commissioning of the Land and Power Evacuation Package. This includes establishing an AIS pooling substation, either at 400 kV or 220 kV, depending on the quoted capacity, along with appropriate Tie Transformers and associated SAS and protection systems.

Civil works for the substation will require a control room building and a pooling switchgear building. Additionally, bidders must design and construct an EHV transmission line connecting the pooling substation to the ISTS substation, ensuring compliance with technical specifications while securing the right-of-way for the transmission line.

The terminal bay construction at the ISTS end and the implementation of a telemetry system for data communication will also be part of the requirements. Bidders must supply and install a Common Power Plant Controller and conduct a grid compliance study for the solar plant capacity linked with the pooling substation, along with various associated monitoring systems. Provision of necessary mandatory spares and Operation and Maintenance services for a period of three years following project commissioning will also be required. NTPC REL intends to finance this package through its own resources and borrowings.

The bidding document will be available for download from October 10, 2024, until October 24, 2024. A pre-bid conference is scheduled for October 28, 2024, allowing prospective bidders to raise queries. Bids must be submitted by November 8, 2024, at 15:00:00 IST, with the Techno-Commercial Bid opening occurring the same day at 15:30:00 IST. The cost of the bidding documents is set at INR 22,500, and all bids must include a 'Bid Security Declaration' in lieu of bid security as specified in the documents.

Bidders failing to meet this requirement will be considered non-responsive, and their bids will not be opened. To qualify for bidding, bidders must meet the technical criteria outlined in the bidding documents, including previous experience in executing grid-connected solar PV or wind projects, as well as relevant qualifications in electrical substation work. Detailed qualifications and additional requirements can be found in the full bidding document.