Indian state-run Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued three tenders for the expansion of renewable capacity in India: one for setting up to 1,200 MW of solar power projects connected to the Interstate Transmission system (ISTS), one for developing 1,200 MW of ISTS grid-connected solar-wind hybrid power projects and one for developing 1,200 MW of grid-connected solar power projects with 3,600 MWh storage.
Eventually, the company also expects to issue shortly a fourth 1,000 MW tender for solar PV capacity to be developed in the north-eastern states of Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland, and Assam. The bidding tariff will be capped at INR3/kWh (US$4.2c/kWh).
The SECI also unveiled the results of its last solar energy capacity auction. Bids totalling 1,620 MW were submitted by 13 companies against the tendered capacity of 750 MW. The lowest quoted tariff stood at INR2.48/kWh (US$3.5c/kWh), while the second lowest bid was offered at INR2.49/kWh. The winners included companies such as Acme (250 MW) and the Finnish power utility Fortum (250 MW).