NHPC Limited has invited bids for the selection of developers to install 23.34 MWac of grid-connected rooftop solar systems across 279 government buildings in Jammu & Kashmir. This tender represents one of the first major regional implementations for government assets under the newly approved ₹750 billion “PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana” national program. The project is being executed through the Jammu & Kashmir Energy Development Agency (JAKEDA) and follows the Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) implementation model.
Project Scope and Departmental Allocation
The 23.34 MW tender is a strategic subset of the broader 270 MW solarization plan approved for Jammu & Kashmir, which comprises 70 MW in CAPEX mode and 200 MW in RESCO mode. This specific “saturation” initiative targets high-priority government departments to maximize the utilization of existing rooftop infrastructure.
The project is divided into eight distinct categories based on departmental building allocations. The departments involved include:
- Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs
- Jal Shakti
- Irrigation & Flood Control
- Forest, Ecology & Environment
- Home
Selected developers will be responsible for the installation and commissioning of systems across the 279 identified sites, ensuring full departmental coverage as part of the union territory’s transition to renewable energy.
Technical and Operational Specifications
The implementation adheres to strict technical standards to ensure long-term grid stability and performance. Key specifications include:
- Implementation Model: RESCO model, involving a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) term with the respective departments at a tariff determined through the competitive bidding process.
- Commissioning Timeline: Projects must be commissioned within nine months from the date of award.
- Hardware Standards: Use of solar modules from the “Approved List of Models and Manufacturers” (ALMM) is mandatory. Modules must have a minimum capacity of 500 Wp and a minimum efficiency of 20%.
- Grid Integration and VNM: Systems must feature bi-directional smart meters. A critical technical component is the provision of Virtual Net Metering (VNM) by DISCOMs, allowing energy credits generated at one site to be adjusted against the electrical connections of other buildings within the same department.
- Post-Commissioning Maintenance: Developers are required to provide five years of free maintenance following the successful commissioning of the systems.
Financial Requirements and Strict Eligibility Barriers
The tender establishes significant financial and experience-based barriers to entry, designed to ensure the participation of Tier-1 developers capable of managing large-scale infrastructure. Bidders must demonstrate a positive net worth for the preceding financial year and a minimum net worth of ₹9,900 per kW of quoted capacity.
Technically, bidders must be EPC players or developers having commissioned at least one solar plant of 40 kWp or more (within a cumulative 400 kWp experience) or have executed infrastructure works valued at a minimum of ₹4 crore in the last decade. Furthermore, bidders must have experience in executing at least one electrical sub-station of 11 kV or above voltage level.
The following table details the financial requirements across the eight tender categories:
| Category | EMD (₹ Lakh) | Tender Fee (₹) | Avg. Annual Turnover (₹ Cr) | Working Capital Requirement (₹ Cr) |
| Category 1 | 32.44 | 5,000 | 8.65 | 4.81 |
| Category 2 | 50.94 | 5,000 | 13.68 | 7.55 |
| Category 3 | 47.66 | 5,000 | 12.71 | 7.06 |
| Category 4 | 9.91 | 1,500 | 1.98 | 1.10 |
| Category 5 | 12.72 | 1,500 | 2.54 | 1.41 |
| Category 6 | 3.56 | 1,000 | 0.71 | 0.40 |
| Category 7 | 18.50 | 1,500 | 3.70 | 2.06 |
| Category 8 | 11.64 | 1,500 | 2.33 | 1.29 |
Bid Submission and Timeline
The deadline for bid submission is April 11, 2026. The dates for the opening of techno-commercial bids will be notified subsequently. This schedule aligns with the broader mandate to achieve full solarization of all government buildings by the end of December 2025.
Tender Link: https://www.nhpcindia.com/tenders
Regulatory Context and Socio-Economic Impact
The project operates under the framework of the “PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana.” Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) like NHPC are tasked with assisting state and central ministries in deploying rooftop solar on their assets. Notably, this project for government buildings is funded without Central Financial Assistance (CFA), a factor that developers must account for in their internal rate of return (IRR) calculations.
The total 270 MW solarization plan in Jammu & Kashmir is projected to have a substantial environmental and economic footprint, including a reduction of 8.3 million tons of carbon emissions over 25 years and the creation of approximately 10,800 jobs across highly skilled, skilled, and unskilled sectors.
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