The Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) had floated a tender for 500 megawatts of solar PV power capacity. The tender received bids by 22 project developers willing to set up 300 megawatts (MW) of capacity. The poor response is worlds apart from the 10 times oversubscription for the 750 megawatt Rewa solar power park.

 

The poor response is ironically still better than that received for the 500 megawatt tender previously issued by TANGEDCO. In November 2016, the tender attracted 20 bids of just 122 megawatts. The utility had no choice but to scrap the tender. Project developers were unable to purchase land for their projects due to lack of funds owning to the demonetization drive of the Indian government.

 

The improved funding situation seems to have been the only reason for the relative increased interest of the developers. Lack of adequate transmission infrastructure and poor financial health of the utility remain the major concerns of bidders. The threshold tariff for this tender was also reduced by 14.7%, from Rs 5.10/kWh (7.6¢/kWh) to Rs 4.35/kWh (6.5¢/kWh), although developers have 12 months to commission the projects, an increase from 10 months.

 

According to government estimates, an installed capacity base of 2.5 gigawatts (GW) will be required to meet the 5% solar RPO target in 2017-18. TANGEDCO, however, expects that only 1.6 GW solar power capacity would be operational by that time, thus leaving a shortfall of 900 MW.