The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has invited developers to participate in a competitive bidding process for the installation of 5,665 kW of grid-connected rooftop solar photovoltaic projects. These projects are planned under the Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) model and will be implemented across 14 government organizations and institutes, including key locations such as Sushma Swaraj Bhawan and several National Institutes of Fashion Technology (NIFT). The initiative is aimed at promoting sustainable energy use in government facilities while complying with net-metering and grid connectivity regulations.
Developers selected for these projects will be responsible for the complete lifecycle of the installations. Their tasks will include the design, engineering, testing, and commissioning of the solar systems, along with ongoing operation and maintenance throughout the duration of the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). This model ensures that the client organizations receive uninterrupted solar power without having to manage the operational aspects themselves.
Financial commitments form an important part of the bidding process. Interested bidders are required to submit an Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) for each project they wish to pursue. The EMD varies depending on project capacity. For Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, which has a capacity of 115 kW, the EMD is set at INR 1,03,500. The Ministry of External Affairs project of 300 kW requires an EMD of INR 2,70,000. The National Institute of Technology in Jamshedpur, with a capacity of 1,200 kW, has an EMD requirement of INR 10,80,000, while the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Thiruvananthapuram, with a capacity of 1,000 kW, requires INR 9,00,000.
In addition to the EMD, successful bidders must provide a Performance Bank Guarantee (PBG) before signing the PPA. The PBG is calculated at a rate of INR 3,375 per kW of the cumulative project capacity and must remain valid for nine months beyond the scheduled commissioning date of the project. This ensures the financial commitment and accountability of the developers throughout the execution period.
The tender process has specific timelines that developers must follow. The Request for Selection (RfS) was issued on January 16, 2026. A pre-bid meeting is scheduled as per the Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) on SECI’s ISN-ETS portal. Developers must submit their bids through the portal by the deadline mentioned in the NIT. The full project capacity must be commissioned within seven months from the effective date of the PPA.
The bidding procedure follows a single-stage, two-envelope competitive process. SECI has emphasized that all technical and commercial requirements must be strictly met to prevent bid rejection. The final selection of developers will be based on a tariff-based competitive bidding system, which is designed to ensure the adoption of cost-effective solar energy solutions for the participating government institutions. This move highlights SECI’s continued efforts to expand renewable energy capacity across public sector facilities while promoting clean and sustainable power.
This approach is expected to accelerate rooftop solar adoption in government buildings and serve as a model for future solar projects across India.
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