MAHAGENCO REL Tender for 700-Acre Solar Project Land Lease

On April 10, 2026, Mahagenco Renewable Energy Ltd. (MREL) issued Tender No. MREL/2026-27/175MW land/T01, inviting bids for the selection of an agency to arrange 700 acres of land and facilitate grid connectivity in Maharashtra. The project involves the development of a 175 MW solar power capacity, structured as seven distinct 25 MW installations. Under the terms of the tender, while the selected agency is responsible for identifying and developing the sites, MREL will execute the lease deeds directly with the individual landowners.

Tender Specifications and Capacity Breakdown

The project requires the procurement of land parcels and the provision of infrastructure according to the following breakdown and lease terms:

• Total Land Requirement: 700 acres, provided as seven contiguous land parcels of 100 acres each.
• Generation Capacity: 175 MW total, structured as 25 MW capacity per each of the seven 100-acre parcels.
• Lease Duration: An initial term of 28 years, with a provision for an extension of 2 years, totaling a 30-year potential duration.
• Scope of Work: The agency must provide land development services, including leveling, tree cutting, and the construction of internal peripheral and motorable approach roads. The scope includes the provision of water, the construction of pre-cast compound walls and main entry gates, and obtaining grid connectivity and Right of Way (ROW) clearances from the Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited (MSETCL).
• Evacuation Infrastructure: Bidders are required to execute a pole line agreement for a 33 kV line from the land parcel to the identified MSETCL substation.

Technical Site Selection Criteria

MREL has established rigid technical and legal requirements for land parcels. Responses to pre-bid queries indicate that the following conditions are mandatory and not subject to relaxation:

• Proximity to Substation: Technical compliance is determined by the power evacuation line route length, which must be within a 5 km distance between the land parcel and the proposed MSETCL substation. MREL has explicitly refused requests to extend this limit to 10 or 15 km.
• Irradiation Minimums: The land must possess a minimum Global Horizontal Irradiation (GHI) of at least 1,880 kWh/m².
• Land Physicality: Each 100-acre parcel must be contiguous and have an identified motorable approach road, preferably a public road, free of ownership claims.
• Soil Testing: Bidders must conduct soil testing consisting of one bore to a depth of 2.5 meters for every 10 hectares. Reports must be provided by NABL or NABL-accredited laboratories.
• Legal and Environmental Constraints: Land parcels involving Reserved or Protected Forest areas, Ministry of Defense land, National Parks, Peacock Zones, or Great Indian Bustard areas are prohibited.
• Prohibited Land Classes: The tender strictly excludes Tribal and Forest lands. Furthermore, Class-II land is prohibited, and MREL has clarified that Class-II land converted to Class-I will not be accepted.

Bidder Eligibility and Financial Requirements

Bidders must meet specific technical experience thresholds and financial security obligations.

Technical Criteria Bidders must demonstrate experience in civil land development, land acquisition, obtaining MSETCL grid connectivity, or Renewable Energy Project Management. Qualifying experience must be supported by work orders and performance certificates executed within the last two years.

Financial Criteria Financial eligibility is assessed based on the following metrics:

If working capital is insufficient, bidders must provide a letter from a bank with a net worth of at least INR 800 Crores confirming a line of credit for the required amount.

Contract Performance Security The successful bidder must furnish an unconditional and irrevocable Contract Performance Security equal to 10% of the contract price. In the case of a consortium, the lead member must provide a bank guarantee for 7.5% of the contract price, while the partner member must provide 2.5%.

Tendering Process and Submission Deadlines

The tender process involves non-refundable fees and a multi-stage submission timeline.

Fees

• Tender Document Fee: Rs. 50,000 + 18% GST.
• Tender Processing Fee: Rs. 1,00,000 + 18% GST per 100-acre parcel (up to 7 parcels).

Key Dates

• Pre-Bid Meeting: April 30, 2026, at 11:30 Hrs.
• Last Date for Online Submission (Techno-Commercial and Price Bids): May 11, 2026, at 14:00 Hrs.
• Last Date for Physical Submission: May 13, 2026, at 18:00 Hrs.
• Techno-Commercial Bid Opening: May 15, 2026, at 11:00 Hrs.