Own land near a power substation? You could earn for 25 years under MP's solar scheme

Time of India

2 days ago

Bhopal: If you are a farmer or a renewable energy developer with access to land near substations in Madhya Pradesh, you can now bid to set up solar plants and supply power for 25 years to the state grid under the
Surya Mitra Krishi Feeder Scheme
.
Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd (MPUVNL) has opened bidding for a 1200 MW solar power project under the feeder-level solarisation component of the PM-KUSUM-C Scheme. The revised Request for Proposal (RFP) and Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) were issued on June 4 through Corrigendum-XII, which supersedes all previous versions.
The bid process invites Renewable Power Generators (RPGs) to set up grid-connected solar PV power plants to supply electricity to Madhya Pradesh Power Management Company Ltd (MPPMCL) for agricultural feeder solarisation.
'The cumulative CFA equivalent capacity of 1200 MW shall be equal to the sum of non-CFA capacities and CFA capacities for the Project(s), which would be allotted, as per terms and conditions of this RfP, till the exhaustion of the 1200 MW CFA capacity,' the corrigendum states.
Bids must be submitted online by June 25, 2025, at 8.00 PM. Hard copies of required bid documents must be delivered by June 26, 5.00 PM. Technical bids will be opened on June 30, 2025, at 12.30 PM and financial bids on July 10, 2025, at 4.00 PM.
The projects are to be located near substations specified in Annexure-1 of the RFP. Each substation is considered a single project, and the bidder must quote a single fixed levelized tariff for the entire project capacity. The power generated will be sold to MPPMCL through a PPA valid for 25 years from the scheduled commercial operation date.
'There is no requirement of minimum CUF to be achieved after the project has been declared to be successfully commissioned,' the RFP clarifies.
Who can bid and how:
The bidding is allowed under two categories:
1. Self-Development Mode: Open to individual farmers, group of farmers, cooperatives, Panchayats, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Water User Associations (WUAs), and government agricultural institutions. No financial eligibility criteria are required in this category. However, bidders must own the prescribed land near substations at the time of bid submission.
'Failing to submit the required land ownership documents with Competent Authority will have right to cancel PPA/ selection of such bidders and take necessary action under laws of land, including forfeiture of bid security and/or blacklisting/ debar of such bidders to participate in any tender of MPUVNL,' the document states.
2. Developer Mode: Open to companies, LLPs, partnership firms, or sole proprietors. Bidders under this mode must meet either of the following financial eligibility criteria:
* Net worth of ₹1 crore per MW based on FY24 or FY25 audited financials.
* Minimum average annual turnover (MAAT) of ₹2 crore per MW over FY22–FY24 or FY23–FY25.
The bidder can apply for multiple substations but only one bid is allowed per substation. In case of bidding through a consortium or joint venture, a maximum of two members is permitted.
CFA and project allotment:
Each bidder must also quote the CFA capacity they wish to avail (QCFA), which cannot exceed the Normative CFA Capacity (NCFA) for that substation. The CFA available is capped at 1200 MW in total, and bids will be evaluated substation-wise in ascending order of tariff until the CFA is exhausted.
'Allotment quantities would also be subject to reasonable rates and the total capacity that MPPMCL is willing to procure,' the RFP notes.
Connectivity and infrastructure:
Bidders are required to construct dedicated evacuation lines and bays up to the 33/11 kV substations unless opting to have them built by DISCOMs at notified rates. The specifications must adhere to the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) attached to the RFP and approved by the concerned DISCOMs.
'It may be noted that BoQ estimates and specifications related to evacuation and connectivity infrastructure shall be as prescribed by concerned Discom/ MPPMCL,' the RFP states.
The full scope includes design, engineering, supply, erection, testing, commissioning, and 25 years of comprehensive operation and maintenance of the plants.
Fees and exemptions:
The bid processing fee is ₹5,000 plus 18% GST per MW (₹5,900 total), payable to MPUVNL. MSMEs and eligible farmers are exempt from this fee. However, there is no exemption for PSUs or government bodies. In addition, bidders must pay e-tendering portal charges, including a registration fee of ₹7,000 plus GST and a bid participation fee of ₹12,000 plus GST.
Portal and updates:
Bidding documents are available on the Bharat Electronic Tender Portal and MPUVNL's official website. MPUVNL will not issue separate notifications for amendments. 'Interested Bidders are advised to follow and keep track of Nodal Agency's website as well as designated e-tender portal for updated information,' the corrigendum adds.
All bid submissions must be encrypted with secure passphrases and uploaded through the e-tender portal. Physical copies of passphrases and required documents must be submitted in hard copy before the deadline.