RECPDCL Floats Tenders for 220 kV GIS Kesurdi Intra-State Transmission Project in Maharashtra

REC Power Development and Consultancy Limited (RECPDCL), a wholly owned subsidiary of REC Limited, has been designated by the Government of Maharashtra as the Bid Process Coordinator (BPC) for a critical intra-state infrastructure mandate. The agency is inviting bids for the selection of a Transmission Service Provider (TSP) to establish the “Establishment of 220 kV GIS Kesurdi (Dist.- Satara)” project. The selection will be conducted through a Tariff Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB) process on a build, own, operate, and transfer (BOOT) basis, following the mechanism of international competitive bidding.

Technical Specifications and Project Scope

The scope of work encompasses the establishment of a Gas Insulated Substation (GIS) at Kesurdi and significant transmission line interconnections. The mandate includes the following technical components:

Substation Infrastructure:

• Transformation Capacity: 2 x 100 MVA, 220/132kV Inter-Connecting Transformers (ICTs); 2 x 100 MVA, 220/33kV Transformers; and 1 x 25MVAr, 132kV Capacitor bank.
• 220 kV GIS Bays: 4 Nos. ICT Bays, 4 Nos. Line Bays, 1 No. Bus Coupler bay, and a provision for 2 Nos. future GIS line bays for scalability.
• 132 kV GIS Bays: 2 Nos. ICT Bays, 4 Nos. Line Bays, 1 No. Capacitor Bank Bay, and 1 No. Bus Coupler bay.
• 33 kV GIS Bays: 2 Nos. Transformer (T/F) Bays and 16 Nos. GIS Line Bays.

Transmission Line and Remote End Works:

• LILO of the existing 220 kV S/C Sona Alloy – Kandalgaon line.
• Construction of a 220 kV D/C line from Kesurdi to the 765 kV Pune – III substation, including the installation of 2 Nos. 220kV GIS Bays at the remote 765kV Pune-III end.
• LILO of the existing 132 kV S/C Shirwal – Bhatghar and Shirwal – Iljin lines.

The project is slated for a Scheduled Commercial Operation Date (COD) within 18 months from the Effective Date.

Project Rationale and Economic Impact

The project is strategically designed to alleviate existing transmission constraints in the Shirwal and Lonand areas of Maharashtra. By augmenting grid capacity, the infrastructure will cater specifically to the rising industrial demand of the Kesurdi MIDC in the Satara District. State authorities anticipate that this enhanced reliability and power availability will catalyze industrial activity and drive broader economic growth across the region.

Bidding Process and Timeline

The procurement follows a single-stage, two-envelope process (Technical and Financial) conducted via the MSTC Limited electronic platform. Price discovery will be achieved through an e-reverse bidding (e-RA) mechanism to identify the lowest Quoted Transmission Charges. As a corporate mechanism, the successful bidder will be required to acquire 100% of the equity shares of the project-specific Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV).

REC Limited Main Tender Portal: https://recindia.nic.in/tenders

Administrative milestones and deadlines are as follows:

Prospective bidders must pay a non-refundable RFP fee of Rs. 5,00,000 (plus 18% GST) via electronic transfer to RECPDCL’s ICICI Bank account in Connaught Place, New Delhi. A Bid Bond of Rs. 1.50 Crore is also required.

Regulatory Compliance and Long-Term Framework

The selected TSP is required to secure a Transmission License from the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC). Under the BOOT framework, the TSP will operate the assets for a 35-year term before transferring the project, including land and clearances, to the Maharashtra State Transmission Utility (STU) at zero cost. This process is governed by the Ministry of Power guidelines under Section 63 of the Electricity Act, 2003.