CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) has approved Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) to procure 270 MW of Firm and Dispatchable Renewable Energy (FDRE) from the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).
The power will be procured under the Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS)-connected Round-the-Clock (RTC) Tranche-IV scheme for a period of 25 years at tariffs discovered through competitive bidding. In addition to a tariff, TNPDCL will pay SECI a trading margin of 7 paise per unit. The commission has directed the utility to submit a detailed status report on the procurement within four weeks.
According to the order accessed by TNIE, SECI had invited bids on October 30, 2024, for setting up ISTS-connected renewable energy projects to supply 1,200 MW of RTC power under the Build-Own-Operate model. Of this, 120 MW has been allocated to TNPDCL at `5.06 per unit and 150 MW at `5.07 per unit.
The commission observed that the discovered tariffs are neither high nor arbitrary and are in line with prevailing market rates, particularly given the reliability and assured supply associated with FDRE power.