Four bidders have qualified for an interstate transmission system (ISTS) scheme being bid out under the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) mechanism, aimed at power evacuation from renewable energy zones (REZ) in Rajasthan
The ISTS scheme in question is “Transmission system for evacuation of power from Rajasthan REZ Ph-IV (Part-2: 5.5 GW) (Jaisalmer/Barmer Complex): Part C” and has REC Power Development & Consultancy Ltd (RECPDCL) as the bid process coordinator.
The four bidders that have qualified for the opening of initial price bids are:
- Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL)
- Sterlite Power
- Adani Energy Solutions Ltd
- Tata Power Company Ltd
These entities have qualified on the basis of their technical bids that were opened on February 29, 2024.
It is reliably learnt that the price bids will be opened on March 11, 2024. This will be followed by the e-reverse auction process.
The ISTS scheme has been housed under project SPV “Rajasthan IV C Power Transmission Ltd” that was incorporated on October 11, 2023 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of RECPDCL. This SPV will be eventually transferred to the successful bidder.
Scheduled to commission within 24 months of the SPV transfer, this project mainly involves setting up of the new 3×1500 MVA, 765/400kV and 5×500 MVA, 400/220kV Mandsaur Pooling Station in Madhya Pradesh, and a 765kV double-circuit line from this pooling station to PGCIL’s existing Indore substation in the same state, with a 200-km route length.
The project cost, as estimated by National Committee on Transmission (NCT), is around Rs.2,700 crore.
Background
The ISTS scheme under discussion is part of a comprehensive scheme known as “Transmission system for evacuation of power from Rajasthan REZ Ph-IV (Part-2: 5.5 GW) (Jaisalmer/Barmer Complex)” that is being implemented as several independent components, mainly using the TBCB modality.
Interestingly, some elements of this project (Part C) were earlier to come up as part of another scheme involving evacuation of 2 GW from wind energy zones at Neemuch and Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh. However, NCT later directed that these elements be merged with the present project.
According to information available with T&D India, bidding for all the seven TBCB-related components of the overarching scheme is currently underway. These are Part A, Part B, Part C, Part D, Part E, Part F (combining F1 and F2) and Part H1.
It is further learnt that technical bids for “Part E” (project SPV: Rajasthan IV E Power Transmission Ltd) are expected to be opened on March 12, 2023.
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