Solar power firms urge State to ensure fairness in floating tenders

In a letter to Dheeraj Kumar, principal secretary of the State government, RK Sharma, honorary secretary of the federation, said that the lowest bid offered for the tender floated by Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency for solar off-grid solar projects in 2013 was Rs 18,500 per system.

“Even though the solar prices have been on the descent for the past many years, new tenders revealed the lowest bid rate of Rs 29,877,” the letter said.

The letter added that the exorbitant prices are revealed upon the recent opening of a few of the financial bids in the tender. Though the nature and scope of the work are nominal, the discovered prices are over and above the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) benchmark prices for off-grid solar projects, it alleged.

The federation also urged the department secretary to examine the matter through the project directors in different districts to ensure fairness in the evaluation process. It may be noted that the tenders for off-grid solar electrification are for more than 60,000 households in about 20 districts in the State.