SECI cancels two offshore wind energy tenders

The Solar Energy Corporation of India ( SECI) on Tuesday cancelled two offshore wind energy tenders-a 500 MW project under the viability gap funding scheme and a 4,000 MW sea-bed lease rights allocation. According to two people familiar with the development, the tenders were cancelled because of "lack of response from developers".

The company had invited proposals for setting up a 500 MW inter-state transmission system-connected offshore wind project in Gujarat on build-own-operate basis where it would enter into a power purchase agreement with the successful bidder for 25 years. The successful bidder would have had to undertake surveys of seabed and associated development activities required for validation of available data sets towards financial closure.

However, the SECI may float a revised tender, although it has yet to take a decision, according to one of the persons.

"There may be some changes. The idea is not off," said the person. "It (the project) has not been able to generate that sort of interest from developers. This is the first time there is an attempt to establish... and it is a complex technology while being capital intensive."

The tender to set up a 500 MW offshore wind energy project was issued in September last year while the final closing date for bids was August 4 this year for offline submission.