NTPC, according to reliable reports, has placed contracts on Tata Power Solar Systems Ltd and Ashoka Buildcon Ltd for solar EPC contracts, aggregating 470 mw.
According to a Mercom report, Tata Power Solar Systems has won 320 mw while the remaining 150 mw has gone to Ashoka Buildcon. It is further learnt that Larsen & Toubro as well as Jakson were amongst the unsuccessful contenders.
NTPC, in August this year, had floated tenders for solar EPC projects worth 1,070 mw in Rajasthan. This was in anticipation of winning commensurate capacity in an auction by Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).
However, NTPC, quoting a tariff of Rs.2.01 per kwh, was awarded only 470 mw worth of projects. Accordingly, NTPC downscaled its EPC contract to the capacity awarded.
Scope of works
The scope of work of the EPC contract awarded by NTPC includes the design, engineering, manufacturing, supply, installation, and commissioning of the grid-connected solar projects on a turnkey basis. Successful bidders are also expected to provide three years of O&M services for the solar projects, power evacuation system, and telemetry up to the interconnecting state transmission utility (STU) substation.
The tender documents states that cells and modules used in the project must be from the open category and that projects must be connected with substations of at least 132kV.
NTPC’s solar capacity
According to Mercom, NTPC has issued 2,345.5 mw of EPC tenders as of December 2020, while it had 875 mw of large-scale solar projects in operation.
(Featured photograph sourced from Asian Development Bank (adb.org) is for illustration only)
