BHEL invites bids for a 5 MW solar power project in Haridwar

Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) has announced a tender inviting bids from project developers for the establishment of a 5 MW ground-mounted solar power project at its Ranipur facility in Haridwar. The project is to be executed on a build, own, operate, and maintain basis.

The comprehensive scope of work encompasses the development, construction, synchronization, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of the solar project. It also includes the establishment of the evacuation network up to the BHEL substation.

The chosen bidder will be required to enter into a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with BHEL.

Interested parties must submit their bids by February 6, 2024, with the bid opening scheduled for the same day.

A ₹30 lakhs earnest money deposit is required of all bidders. The winning bidder has to provide a performance bank guarantee (PBG) for ₹1.285 crores within 21 days of receiving the letter of intent, whichever comes first, in order to sign the PPA.

The project needs to be put into service no later than six months after the PPA goes into effect. Partial project commissioning is not permitted under the terms of the tender.

If commissioning is delayed by up to one month, ₹30 lakhs of the PBG will be partially encashed, with the amount being determined daily. If there is a delay longer than one month, up to three months, BHEL will cash the remaining ₹98.5 lakhs PBG.

The declared annual Capacity Utilization Factor (CUF) must not fall below the specified CUF for each year as indicated by BHEL in the tender.

Surplus power generated by the project beyond its consumption will be directly sold to BHEL, which reserves the right to utilize or sell the excess power at its discretion.

Bidders must demonstrate a track record of established ground-mounted solar power projects with a capacity of not less than 2.5 MW, featuring individual projects with capacities of at least 1 MW.

Additionally, they should have experience in operating and maintaining solar projects of 2.5 MW capacity over the past seven financial years, with the projects commissioned and operational for no less than one year.

Prospective bidders are required to have a net worth equal to or exceeding ₹5.14 crores as of the last date of the financial year 2022-23.

It is necessary for bidders to provide proof that they have the financial resources to meet the project’s funding requirements. They can accomplish this by providing documentation for one of the following: (i) An average yearly turnover of at least ₹10.28 crores over the previous three fiscal years; (ii) An in-principle sanction letter from lending institutions pledging a line of credit for a minimum of ₹6.43 crores, in order to satisfy the project’s working capital requirements.