THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The KSEB is inking long-term power purchase contracts with grid-connected solar power plants planned in the state for the supply of 200 MW for a period of 25 years.
In a first, the board will resort to reverse bidding using the DEEP (Discovery of Efficient Electricity Price) e-bidding portal of the Central Government for the purpose.
NTPC Ltd has already approached the KSEB for supplying 15 MW power from the solar power plant it proposes to establish at Kayamkulam. NTPC has offered to supply the power at a rate of Rs 3 per unit, which has prompted the KSEB to fix the benchmark tariff for bidding at Rs 3.50 per unit.
KSEB had organised an investors’ meet in July to gather investor opinion on the bidding model. Around 170 potential bidders had attended the meet in Thiruvananthapuram. Under the conditions of the present bid, successful bidders will be responsible for identifying land for establishing the solar power units.
On another note, the proposed power purchase contracts are also meant to meet the KSEB’s obligations under the KSERC (Renewable Energy) Amendment Regulations, 2017. Under it, a certain percentage of the total power supplied by KSEB should be met from renewable energy sources. Though KSEB has been developing small hydro, solar and wind sources, a considerable gap continues to exist. Projections using the anticipated addition of renewable energy sources also shows the gap will be met in the near future.