TNGECL Invites Landowners for Solar Projects, EOI Floated for Ground and Stilt-Mounted Plants

In a significant step toward expanding Tamil Nadu’s renewable energy footprint, the Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation Ltd. (TNGECL) has floated an Expression of Interest (EOI) inviting landowners to lease land for decentralised solar power plants under Components A and C of the PM-KUSUM scheme. The proposed projects will involve ground or stilt-mounted solar power systems ranging from 1 MW to 4 MW capacity.

Eligible land parcels must lie within 5 km of TANTRANSCO or TNPDCL substations with 11kV or 22kV feeders. Landowners can offer plots between 4 to 16 acres, either in a single location or spread across adjacent areas, with preference given to contiguous parcels of around 4–5 acres per megawatt.

Participation is open to a wide range of entities, including individual farmers, cooperatives, FPOs, NGOs, trusts, companies, LLPs, and public sector undertakings. Applicants must be Indian nationals or Indian-registered entities, with valid land titles. PAN is mandatory for individuals, while entities must also provide GSTIN.

The selection process will unfold in two stages. First, TNGECL will assess the technical and commercial viability of the bids submitted via the official e-tendering portal. Offline or incomplete submissions will be rejected. Clarifications, if needed, must be addressed via email within a week of notification.

In the second stage, only technically qualified applicants will move to price bid evaluation. Lease bids must be quoted in INR per acre per year, excluding taxes and duties. Rankings will be based on the lowest lease price (L1). If two or more applicants quote the same price, they will share equal rank. Applicants must also declare the distance of their land from the nearest substation for logistical evaluation.

TNGECL will serve solely as a facilitator, connecting developers with shortlisted landowners, but will not be a party to any lease agreements. Formed through the merger of Tangedco’s Renewable Energy Wing and TEDA, TNGECL is the designated agency for implementing the PM-KUSUM scheme in Tamil Nadu. The initiative aims to offer rural stakeholders a stable income stream while enabling developers to access pre-verified, grid-connected land, thereby speeding up project execution and reducing development hurdles.

The last date for bid submission is July 4, 2025. The EOI and application details are available on the state tender portal, with a processing fee of INR 10,000 plus GST.

With Tamil Nadu targeting a 50 percent renewable energy share by 2030, this decentralised model is a key step in integrating farmers and landowners into the state’s clean energy transition.