The Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency has invited bids to develop 500 MW of ground-mounted solar projects in the Indian state, under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) program, which aims to help farmers set up generation capacity and install solar pumps.
Under the terms of the Odisha state tender, solar plants will be set up on a build, own, operate basis, with farmers able to lease the sites and the electricity being sold to state electricity distribution company Grid Corporation of Odisha (Gridco) at a fixed price, determined by the tender.
Bidders must apply to develop between 500 kW and 2 MW of project capacity, in 50 kW increments, to be connected to each 33/11 kV substation listed in the tender document. There is no limit to the volume of generation capacity bidders can pitch for in the overall tender.
Gridco will buy the power generated under a 25-year power purchase agreement and will pay no more than INR3.08/kWh ($0.04).
Successful bidders must commission the projects within nine months of award of the contract.
