NTPC Renewable Energy Limited (NTPC REL), a wholly owned subsidiary of NTPC Green Energy Limited (NGEL), has invited bids for the supply of crystalline bifacial solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for its 2,100 MW solar PV projects at Fatehgarh and Bikaner in Rajasthan. The Invitation for Bids (IFB No. NRE-CS-5800-004(MOD-01)-9) was issued on 14 October 2026 under domestic competitive bidding, with techno-commercial bids due on 5 November 2026.
Scope and Module Capacity
The package covers the manufacturing, supply, packing and forwarding, and transportation of the modules. The requirement is divided into nine blocks across two clusters, with a 1% spare-module allowance added to each block:
- Cluster A: two blocks of 390 MWp (A-1) and 260 MWp (A-2), totalling 656.5 MWp including spares. Modules must be enlisted in ALMM List-I and manufactured using solar cells from ALMM List-II.
- Cluster B: seven blocks, five of 260 MWp and two of 390 MWp, totalling 2,100.8 MWp including spares. Modules must be enlisted in ALMM List-I.
In all, the tender covers 2,730 MWp of DC module capacity, or 2,757.3 MWp including spares. Modules are to be delivered to Bikaner and/or Fatehgarh, with the exact location to be notified to the successful bidder at the time of the Notification of Award. Bidders may quote for any one of 71 block combinations specified in the IFB, ranging from a single 262.6 MWp block to the full requirement.
Bidding Process and Key Dates
Bids will be evaluated on a single-stage, two-envelope basis (techno-commercial and price bids), followed by a reverse auction. Participation is restricted to Class-I local suppliers as defined under the Public Procurement (Preference to Make in India) Order, 2017 and its amendments. Bidders must register on the ISN Electronic Tender Services (ETS) portal and submit a signed non-disclosure agreement before they are authorised to download the bidding documents, which are available free of cost under Tender Search Code NTPCREL-2026-TN000042.
The download window closes at 17:00 hrs on 24 October 2026. The pre-bid conference and the last date for bidder queries are scheduled for 26 October 2026 at 11:00 hrs. Techno-commercial bids must be submitted by 15:00 hrs on 5 November 2026 and will be opened at 15:30 hrs the same day. Bid security scales with the quoted capacity, from ₹5 crore for a single 262.6 MWp block to ₹50 crore for the largest combinations, and must be furnished only as an e-bank guarantee through the NeSL platform. NTPC REL intends to fund the package through its own resources and/or external borrowings.
Qualifying Requirements
On the technical side, bidders must have manufactured and supplied at least 200 MWp of solar PV modules or cells within any 12 consecutive months in the last five years, including at least one order of 50 MWp or above, and must hold annual module manufacturing capacity of at least 1.67 times the quoted capacity, assessed against the latest ALMM list. Alternatively, bidders can qualify by showing supplies of at least 2.14 times the quoted capacity within a 12-month period, subject to the same 50 MWp order condition, or through a group, holding or subsidiary company that meets these criteria under a joint undertaking.
The financial criteria require an average annual turnover over the preceding three financial years of ₹97.24 crore for bids up to 300 MWp in Cluster A and ₹64.65 crore in Cluster B. For larger bids, the threshold is calculated at ₹0.3241 crore per MWp for Cluster A and ₹0.2155 crore per MWp for Cluster B. Bidders must also have a net worth of at least 25% of paid-up share capital, with no erosion of more than 30% over the last three years unless net worth equals or exceeds paid-up capital.
Domestic Manufacturing Linkage
The Cluster A cell requirement aligns with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s ALMM List-II for solar PV cells, which has applied since 1 June 2026. MNRE has ruled out a blanket extension, allowing only a limited window up to 31 December 2026 for commissioning net-metering and open access projects. Combined with the Class-I local supplier condition, the tender directs close to 2.76 GWp of module demand towards domestic manufacturers.
NTPC REL’s Rajasthan Pipeline
The procurement supports NTPC REL’s expanding presence in western Rajasthan. In Bikaner, the company declared commercial operation of the fourth part capacity of 66.18 MW at its Kalasar Solar Energy Project from 10 October 2026, part of the 650 MW solar component of a 500 MW round-the-clock project for Railway Energy Management Company Limited (REMCL).
NGEL’s official website reports a present capacity of 11,329 MW, with 40 projects fully commissioned and 48 under execution. Alongside the module tender, NTPC REL has also invited EPC bids for a 900 MW ISTS-connected solar project near Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh, up to 600 MW near Dhule in Maharashtra, and a 2×500 MW project at Kambadur in Andhra Pradesh.
Outlook
Following the opening of techno-commercial bids on 5 November 2026, price bids of qualified bidders will move to the reverse auction. The outcome will determine the domestic manufacturers supplying modules for NTPC REL’s next phase of capacity at Fatehgarh and Bikaner.
Official Sources
- NTPC Tender Portal – NIT Details: Supply of Solar PV Modules for 2100 MW Solar PV Project of NTPC REL at Fatehgarh and Bikaner (NRE-CS-5800-004(MOD-01)-9): https://ntpctender.ntpc.co.in/NITDetails/NITs/30370
- NTPC REL – Invitation for Bids (IFB), 14 October 2026: https://ntpctender.ntpc.co.in/Uploads/job_46015.pdf
- NTPC Tender Portal – Live Renewable Energy Tenders (Kurnool, Dhule and Kambadur EPC): https://ntpctender.ntpc.co.in/Index/Search?Type=Reg&Region=10
- NTPC Ltd – Regulation 30 Disclosure: COD of 66.18 MW, Kalasar Solar Energy Project, Bikaner (BSE, 9 October 2026): https://www.bseindia.com/xml-data/corpfiling/AttachLive/c947a00d-ffef-4c83-89a6-5150a8f9ec9b.pdf
- NTPC Green Energy Limited – Official Website (present capacity and project status): https://www.ngel.in/ngel-home
- 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/
Leave a Comment