The Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) has issued an expression of interest (EoI) for setting up 7 MW of solar power projects under Component-A of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyaan (PM-KUSUM) scheme. The last date for bid submission is March 27, 2025, with bids opening on April 1.

Bidders are required to pay a tender fee of Rs 5,900 and a tender processing fee of Rs 1,180. An application processing fee of Rs 5,000/MW plus 18% GST is also applicable. Additionally, bidders must submit an earnest money deposit of Rs 200,000 and a bank guarantee of Rs 100,000/MW.

The project scope includes installing decentralised ground- or stilt-mounted grid-connected solar power systems on barren, uncultivable, or agricultural land within a 5 km radius of substations. The selected bidder must also construct a dedicated 11 kV transmission line and associated infrastructure at the substation’s interconnection point. If multiple bidders are awarded projects for a single substation, they may collaborate on a common transmission line.

The project must be completed within eight months. Each installation must have a minimum capacity of 500 kW and a maximum of 2 MW, requiring at least 4 acres of land per MW. The Haryana Power Purchase Centre (HPPC) will procure the solar power generated from these projects on behalf of UHBVN at a levelised tariff of Rs 3.11/kW and will enter into a 25-year power purchase agreement with successful developers.

Eligible bidders include individual farmers, groups of farmers, cooperatives, panchayats, farmer producer organisations, water user associations, or developers. Bidders must also demonstrate access to funds amounting to at least 30% of the project cost and maintain a minimum capacity utilisation factor of 21%.

In 2024, UHBVN had invited bids for 5.01 MW of solar power projects under Component-C of the PM-KUSUM program in Haryana.

(Mercom)