NTPC REL Invites Bids for 900 MW Solar EPC Project with Land near Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh

NTPC Renewable Energy Limited (NTPC REL), the renewable energy arm of the NTPC Group under NTPC Green Energy Limited (NGEL), has floated a tender for an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) package with land for a 900 MW ISTS-connected, ground-mounted solar PV project near its Kurnool Solar Project in Andhra Pradesh. The Invitation for Bids (IFB No. NRE-CS-5849-004(EPC)-9) was issued on 16 October 2026 under domestic competitive bidding, with bids due by 16 November 2026.

The project is structured as a single 900 MW block, placing land arrangement, plant construction, high-voltage evacuation and three years of operations with one contractor.

Scope of Work

Land: The selected bidder must identify, acquire and transfer encumbrance-free land, on ownership or lease basis, in favour of NTPC REL. Notably, this includes land for an Owner’s Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project.

Power evacuation: The contractor will build a dedicated 400 kV transmission line, including right of way, from the solar plant to the pooling substation (PSS) of NTPC REL’s Kurnool Solar Project. It will also supply, erect and commission a new 400 kV terminal line bay at the PSS switchyard, with bus extension if required, and extend telemetry up to the ISTS pooling substation.

EPC works: All civil, structural and electrical works, including the supply of solar PV modules, fall within the scope. The specification also covers CCTV and grid-compliance items such as dynamic reactive power compensation and harmonics management. The contractor must demonstrate guaranteed generation at the metering point through performance testing and supply mandatory spares.

Operation and maintenance: The contractor will operate and maintain the complete plant, switchyard, evacuation system and the newly developed bay for three years from commissioning, including consumables and spare parts.

Key Technical Features

Salient technical specifications include:

• Metering point (PG test): 33 kV switchgear of the solar plant
• Terminal point: 400 kV substation at NTPC REL’s Kurnool Solar PV project, including integration with existing substation systems
• Power transformers: 2 × 315 MVA and 2 × 250 MVA, 400/33-33 kV
• Modules: Crystalline bifacial modules from ALMM List-I, using solar cells from ALMM List-II
• Liquidated damages: Levied for any shortfall in guaranteed generation during the performance test, and at ₹12.5 per unit for generation lost due to grid unavailability

The dual ALMM condition follows the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s December 2024 amendment to the ALMM Order, under which solar PV modules must use cells from ALMM List-II with effect from 1 June 2026.

Eligibility Criteria

Bidders can meet the technical requirement through any one of four routes:

1. EPC experience in grid-connected solar PV plants of 40 MWp cumulative capacity, including at least one plant of 10 MWp or more in successful operation for six months before techno-commercial bid opening.
2. Developer experience meeting the same 40 MWp and 10 MWp thresholds.
3. Execution, in the last ten years, of an industrial project in power, steel, oil and gas, petrochemicals, fertiliser, cement, coal mining or another process industry worth ₹590 crore or more, along with at least one electrical substation of 33 kV or above.
4. An Indian group, holding or subsidiary company of a firm meeting any of the above, backed by a joint undertaking for contract performance.

Financially, bidders need a minimum average annual turnover of ₹590 crore over the preceding three financial years and a net worth of at least 100% of paid-up share capital. Holding-company support is permitted for both parameters, subject to conditions. Bidders from countries sharing a land border with India must be registered with the designated competent authority.

Bidding Process and Timeline

Bids will be evaluated on a single-stage, two-envelope basis (techno-commercial and price), followed by a reverse auction. Each bid must be accompanied by a bid security of ₹50 crore. Bidding documents are free of cost but can be downloaded only after registering on the ISN Electronic Tender Services (ETS) portal and submitting a signed non-disclosure agreement, using Tender Search Code NTPCREL-2026-TN000033.

Part of a Wider Tendering Push

The Kurnool package was issued on the same day as a similar EPC-with-land tender for up to 600 MW (300 MW + 300 MW) near NTPC REL’s Dhule Solar Project in Maharashtra. A day earlier, the company opened bids for a 2 × 500 MW ground-mounted solar EPC package at Kambadur in Anantapur district, taking its fresh solar tendering in Andhra Pradesh to 1.9 GW within a week. These additions support NGEL’s target of building a 60 GW renewable energy portfolio.

Conclusion

The Kurnool tender brings land, plant construction, 400 kV evacuation and three-year O&M under a single contract, with land also reserved for an owner’s BESS. With a ₹590 crore turnover threshold and a ₹50 crore bid security, it is open only to well-capitalised EPC contractors and developers. Price bids will be opened, and the reverse auction held, on dates NTPC REL will announce later.

Official Sources

1. NTPC Green Energy Limited – Live Tenders: https://ngel.in/tender
2. NTPC REL – Invitation for Bids, NRE-CS-5849-004(EPC)-9 (NGEL): https://ngel.in/public/tender/1/97def1e0b0/97def1e0b0.pdf
3. NTPC Tender Portal – Invitation for Bids, Kurnool 900 MW EPC with Land: https://ntpctender.ntpc.co.in/Uploads/job_46038.pdf
4. NTPC Tender Portal – Salient Features of Technical Specifications: https://ntpctender.ntpc.co.in/Uploads/tech_job_46038.pdf
5. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy – Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM): https://mnre.gov.in/en/approved-list-of-models-and-manufacturers-almm/
6. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy – Amendment to ALMM Order for Solar PV Cells (9 December 2024): https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s3716e1b8c6cd17b771da77391355749f3/uploads/2024/12/202412091249816174.pdf
7. ISN Electronic Tender Services (ETS) Portal: https://www.bharat-electronictender.com
8. NTPC Renewable Energy Limited – Official Website: https://www.ntpcrel.co.in