The southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu has issued a request for submission (RfS) for 500 MW of solar projects to meet its solar power obligations. The deadline for submissions is 10 February 2017. Successful projects will range between 1 and 500 MW and will sign 25-year power purchase agreements (PPAs) with state utility TANGEDCO. The benchmark tariff was set at Rs 4.50/kWh (US$6.6c/kWh).
The state has one of the largest solar capacity in India - 1,577 MW in operation and nearly 485 MW of projects under various phases of development - but an earlier tender for 500 MW of solar capacity only attracted 20 bidders and bids only reached 117 MW; its benchmark rate was Rs 5.10/kWh (US$7.6c/kWh) but only 20 MW finalised at Rs 4.50/kWh (US$6.6c/kWh). The state has reported solar curtailment (solar energy produced but not injected on the grid) and delayed payments for wind and solar projects, limiting the interest of renewable developers.
The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) also plans to tender a further 2.3 GW of solar capacity soon.
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