Punjab Genco, a subsidiary of the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA), has initiated a tender process for establishing and commissioning 12 MW (3 x 4 MW) solar power projects in the Bathinda district of Punjab, India. The selected bidder will also oversee project operation and maintenance for five years.

Three locations have been designated for these projects: Bhagi Bandar and Shergarh villages in Talwandi Sabo and Kothe Malluana village in Rampura Phul. The bid submission deadline is September 27, 2023, with bid opening on the following day.

Interested bidders must provide a Rs 4 million earnest money deposit for each 4 MW solar project and a performance bank guarantee equal to 5 per cent of the contract price within 15 days of receiving the work order. The projects are expected to be completed within ten months from the issuance of the work order.

Eligible bidders should be manufacturers, system integrators, or solar power generators with a track record of projects with a capacity of 2 MW or more in India. Bidders must also have experience operating and maintaining solar projects totaling at least 2 MW capacity for a minimum of one year within the last five years.

Bidders are required to hold a valid licence issued by the chief electrical inspector to work on systems with voltages of 11 kV or higher. For a single 4 MW project, bidders must demonstrate an average annual turnover of at least Rs 300 million during any three of the last four financial years, with positive net worth in the last financial year.

Punjab Genco mandates the use of solar modules from the approved list of models and manufacturers issued by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. Delays in project milestones will result in penalties, amounting to 1 per cent of the contract value for each week of delay, up to a maximum of 5 per cent of the contract value.

This initiative by Punjab Genco underscores the state's commitment to expanding its renewable energy capacity and promoting sustainability through solar power projects.