Pumped-storage capacity sought in Karnataka

Power Company of Karnataka Limited (PCKL), the state power producer serving India's southwestern state of Karnataka, is seeking to contract 1000 MW of pumped-storage hydropower capacity for a period of 40 years at a price to be determined through a competitive bidding process.

Techno-commercial and price bids under this Request for Selection (RfS) are invited bids by 13 March for the development of one or more pumped-storage plants in Karnataka with a combined capacity of 1000 MW for 8 hours/day long-duration discharge (with continuous 5 hour discharge). The project is to be developed on a ‘Build-Own-Operate’ basis under a Pumped Hydro Storage Power Procurement Agreement (PHSPPA).  The project is designed to make firm dispatchable power available to meet the demand patterns of the state’s energy supply companies (ESCOMs) during peak hours, thereby strengthening the peak power supply capacity and grid stabilization in the state. As of the end of 2022 Karnataka had an installed capacity of about 31.7 GW of which renewable energy totalling 16 GW accounted for around half of the total installed. With increasing variable renewable energy expected to be commissioned in the state, there is a growing need for support in balancing the grid.

ESCOMs will procure energy corresponding to 8 GWh from the contracted capacity, on a daily basis as per the schedule provided by the State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC), on the basis of a 40-year PHSPPA with the ESCOMs of Karnataka. ESCOMs shall be responsible for making available input energy for pumping required for the scheduled dispatch. The bidder will have to submit a single bid irrespective of the number of projects and/or locations for the total quoted capacity. A bidder may quote for multiple locations in Karnataka, subject to each location having a minimum capacity of 100 MW, and a single price bid for all locations.  For instance, if a bidder wishes to set up four 250 MW projects in four different locations, then the bidder shall quote a single annual fixed price (expressed in INR Lakhs/MW/annum) for all four projects. The responsibility of getting connectivity to the grid through the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) and Long-Term Access (LTA) shall entirely be on and at the cost of the bidder.  ESCOMs shall be responsible for transmission charges, losses, and any other charges as applicable, beyond the delivery point. The projects shall be commissioned within three years, which is termed as the ‘Scheduled COD’ and up to four years for commissioning of the full capacity from the effective date as defined in the draft PHSPPA.

The RfS document and PHSPPA format can be downloaded from the e-tendering portal of

M/s Electronic Tender.com (https://www.bharat-electronictender.com). The tender documents are also available on PCKL’s website at www.pckl.karnataka.gov.in. For further information, contact: Director (Projects), Power Company of Karnataka Limited, 5th Floor, KPTCL Building, Kaveri Bhavan, Bengaluru – 560 009: Tel: +91 80-22294390/22210685; E-mail: addl.director2018@gmail.com; Joint Director (Projects): +91 94483 65063: Deputy Director (Projects) Tel.: +91 82778 95837.