Kerala to Issue Tenders worth 1 GW of Solar Projects within SOURA Program

The state of Kerala has announced that it is setting up to develop 1,000 MW of solar projects under the SOURA program. This is in efforts of aligning with the other states in accomplishing 100 GW of solar capacity together by 2022.

The SOURA scheme is to be mutually implemented by Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) and Agency for Non-conventional Energy and Rural Technology (ANERT), the state nodal agency for renewable projects.

In the initial phase, projects aggregating 200 MW, both rooftop and ground-mounted, will be released. It has been planned to float the tenders under two models, namely EPC tender and tariff-based competitive bidding.

Kerala board has prepared the draft of bid documents and wants to seek suggestions of potential stakeholders before finalizing them. The date of the meeting has been set for January 14, 2019.

Lately, the KSEB declared a tender for 200 MW of grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) projects to be developed in Kerala on IPP mode. The bid-submission time limit is February 1, 2019. A single bidder must bid for a minimum of 1 MW and can bid for a utmost of 200 MW. The KSEB has set the upper ceiling tariff at Rs.3.50 (0.05)/kWh.