Tamil Nadu 500MW PV retender interest still disappointing as TEDA submits 50MW bid

The energy nodal agency in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu has put in a bid for 50MW of solar in a 500MW retender due to insufficient interest from other players, according to consultancy firm Mercom Capital Group reporting a Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency (TEDA) official.

In February, it emerged that the 500MW on offer had received just 300MW of technical bids, the second time it has failed to attract enough interest.

TEDA, the state’s nodal agency for energy, has now put in its own bid in order to promote solar. However, when asked if the full 500MW would be filled, the TEDA official told Mercom that the agency is making efforts in this regard but there could be delays due to forthcoming elections and a state budget.

An official from Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO), the organisation that ran the tender, also told Mercom that the tender will be delayed but is still expected to be completed.

TEDA quoted a tariff of INR4.44/kWh (US$0.067), but brought that down after being asked by TANGEDCO to bid at INR4.40/kWh instead.

Tamil Nadu was the first Indian state to report curtailments of solar energy and had the largest installed PV capacity of any state at the end of 2016.

Tags: tangedco, tamil nadu, india, teda, mercom, tender, sfi con india