MAHAGENCO Invites Bids for 65 MWAC Solar Power Plant Project in Chandrapur

Maharashtra State Power Generation Co. Ltd. (MAHAGENCO) has called for competitive online bids to select an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractor for a solar power project. 

The project involves the design, engineering, supply, erection, testing, and commissioning of a 65 MWAC capacity crystalline solar PV technology grid-interactive plant at Lakhmapur village, Taluka Chandrapur, in Chandrapur district. This project, which spans an area of 324 hectares, includes constructing an associated high-tension overhead transmission line or underground cable, necessary electrical equipment and bays up to the point of interconnection at the 400/220kV Chandrapur - II substation. 

The selected EPC contractor will also be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the solar power plant and the evacuation system for five years post-commissioning.

Interested bidders must register on the MAHAGENCO website by paying a non-refundable vendor registration fee of INR 5,000 plus 18 percent GST, totalling INR 5,900. Additionally, a non-refundable tender fee of INR 10,000 plus 18 percent GST, totalling INR 11,800, must be paid online by the last date for payment of tender fees. Each bidder is required to submit an Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) of INR 65 Lakhs.

The start date for accepting the tender fee and downloading the tender document is June 12, 2024. A pre-bid conference is scheduled for June 28, 2024. The end date for the online sale of the bid document is July 29, 2024. The last date for online bid submission is July 30, 2024. The opening of the techno-commercial bids is set for July 30, 2024, with the date for opening the price bids to be communicated later.

Bidders must adhere to specific technical criteria to qualify for the project. The bidder must have designed, supplied, erected, or supervised the erection and commissioning of ground-mounted Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) grid-connected power plants with a cumulative installed capacity of 26 MW. At least one plant must be of 10 MW capacity and have been in successful operation for at least six months before the techno-commercial bid opening date. Alternatively, the bidder can qualify as a developer of ground-mounted SPV grid-connected power plants with a cumulative installed capacity of 26 MW, including at least one 10 MW plant, which must also have been in successful operation for at least six months before the bid opening date. Further, the specific bid qualifying criteria are mentioned in the official document.

The financial criteria for the bidders are also mentioned in the notification. Bidders must have a net worth of at least INR 16.25 crore as of March 31 of the previous financial year. Additionally, their average annual turnover over the preceding three consecutive financial years must be at least INR 149.28 crore or the equivalent in USD, based on the conversion rate on the bid submission date. This turnover must come from their business as an EPC bidder or developer of projects in India or from solar power generation projects in any country.

If a bidder does not meet the financial and technical experience criteria on their own, they can bid through a consortium or joint venture. Further details on consortium/joint venture requirements and other specifics are provided in the bid document.