Coal India has conducted a tender to select the engineering, procurement and construction contractor for the 810MW photovoltaic project that Rajasthan energy developer RVUN plans to install in the Bikaner photovoltaic park.

According to Coal India's call for tenders, the deadline for bids is February 13, 2023. The scope of work of the EPC contractor included the provision of a complete turnkey EPC solution for the project, which included the supply of photovoltaic modules and power system balancing. The minimum installed capacity for developing this photovoltaic project is 200MW, and the maximum installed capacity is 810MW. Bidders must provide comprehensive operation and maintenance services for 5 years.

Bidders must provide a preliminary cost estimate for the scope of work, including details of the cost. Bidders should have a track record of successful EPC work in India with installed grid-connected utility-scale PV projects and must provide details of their development projects. Bidders must submit proof of their annual income and net worth for the last three financial years.

The annual utilization rate of the photovoltaic power generation project delivered by the bidder in the first year shall be 28%. According to the documents submitted by the bidders, Coal India Corporation (CIL) will conduct a tender to select the EPC cum operation and maintenance contractor for the project. The project must be connected to the converging substation in the photovoltaic park, using a dedicated cable or a 33kV power line connection. The EPC contractor must use a dedicated line to connect the project to a 33kV collection substation.

The construction of infrastructure such as roads, water supply systems, and power evacuation systems from the collection substation to the grid substation will be the responsibility of the PV power park developer and will not be within the scope of work of the EPC contractor.Editor/XingWentao