NHPC Welcomes Bids For Rooftop Solar Projects Under PM Surya Ghar Scheme

• 03 Jun 2025
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NHPC Limited, on behalf of its subsidiary NHPC Renewable Energy Limited (NHPC REL), has released a Request for Selection (RfS) for the development of rooftop solar systems on government buildings across various Ministries of the Centre. These projects' execution will be done under the RESCO model using tariff based competitive bidding, which will include an e-reverse auction. The initiative falls under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSG-MBY), which is aimed at accelerating the adoption of renewable energy in India.

The tender was made available online on May 30, 2025, at 6:30 PM. From that point, bidders could download relevant documents. Online bid submissions began on June 2, 2025, at 5:30 PM and will remain open until 5:30 PM on June 30, 2025. Offline documents must be submitted by July 2, 2025, no later than 5:00 PM. Technical bids will be opened on July 3, 2025, at 3:00 PM. The schedule for financial bid openings and state-wise e-reverse auctions will be shared later.

Bids must remain valid for 120 days from the final date of online submission. Once Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) are signed, the rooftop solar systems must be commissioned within nine months in standard states and within twelve months in special category states.

Bid document fees vary by location: ₹500 for Jammu & Kashmir, Bihar, and Arunachal Pradesh; ₹1,000 for states such as Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Odisha, Sikkim, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Mizoram, and Meghalaya; ₹1,500 for larger states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Telangana, Kerala and Assam; and ₹5,000 for Uttarakhand, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.

The Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) also varies by state, starting at ₹43,000 for Jammu & Kashmir and going up to ₹35,78,000 for Tamil Nadu. Other significant EMD amounts include ₹25,85,000 for Uttarakhand, ₹12,36,000 for Delhi, ₹14,86,000 for Rajasthan, ₹14,81,000 for Maharashtra, ₹14,09,000 for West Bengal, and ₹33,95,000 for Karnataka. EMDs can be submitted via Demand Draft, Bank Guarantee, Pay Order, or Insurance Surety Bond.

Eligibility is restricted to legally registered Indian entities that are not blacklisted by any government or public sector body. Bidders must meet both technical and financial qualifications. On the technical side, they must have implemented solar PV projects with a total capacity of at least 400 kWp, including at least one project of 40 kWp or more. Alternatively, experience in infrastructure projects valued at ₹4 crore or more, including an electrical substation of 11 kV or above, is acceptable.

Financial criteria include an average annual turnover of ₹18,000 per kW for general category states and ₹14,850 per kW for special category states. Additionally, bidders must show a positive net worth in at least two of the past three financial years. They must meet working capital thresholds of ₹10,000 per kW (normal states) or ₹8,250 per kW (special states).

Bids are to be submitted exclusively through the Central Public Procurement Portal, while physical documents must be delivered to NHPC’s office in Faridabad, Haryana. NHPC retains the right to accept or reject any bid without any obligation to the applicants.

Source: Solar Quarter