SECI Invites Bids for 1000 MW/2000 MWh BESS in India

Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI) has issued a tender for the procurement of a 1000 MW/2000 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in India. The tender, identified as RfS No. SECI/C&P/IPP/15/0009/24-25, falls under the tariff-based global competitive bidding process and aims to support the integration of renewable energy into the national grid.

The selected bidder will be responsible for establishing the BESS, which includes identifying land, installation, and obtaining necessary approvals. The system should be capable of being charged from any energy source, including conventional sources, and must meet the defined performance criteria. The Delivery Point for the Project shall be the 400 kV Fatehgarh (ATL) PS, Rajasthan. 

The BESS must provide a total capacity of 1000 MW/2000 MWh and should be available on an ‘on-demand’ basis for charging and discharging. The project will be awarded through an e-bidding process followed by an e-Reverse Auction. 

To be eligible, bidders need to be companies registered under the Companies Act, 2013, foreign companies, SEBI-registered Alternative Investment Funds, or consortia of these entities.

The Net Worth of the bidder should be equal to or greater than INR 34,10,000/MWh of the quoted capacity, as of the last date of the previous financial year, i.e., FY 2023-24/2022-23, or at least seven days before the bid submission deadline. For the consortium, lead members must have a minimum net worth of INR 59.675 crore, and other members must have at least INR 25.575 crore. Additionally, liquidity requirements will be proportionate to the equity share of the consortium members.

Bids must be submitted online through the ISN-ETS portal, and the required documents must be digitally signed. The physical bank guarantee for the EMD, which is INR 3,41,000, should be submitted to SECI within two working days after the online bid submission deadline.

Documents for the tender can be purchased by paying a tender fee of INR 50,000 until August 5, 2024, and the soft copy shall be submitted by the same date. The hard copy can be submitted until August 7, 2024. Bids will be opened on August 8, 2024, and the pre-bid meeting date will be notified on SECI’s website.