Over 150 companies have evinced interest in developing large solar photovoltaic projects of up to 20 MW. These include Reliance (Anil Ambani Group), Lanco, Moser Baer and the Tatas.
Also in the race are public sector companies GAIL (India) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd.
According to the official sources, the request for selection (RFS) were received for 218 solar PV projects for over 2,500 MW capacity, much higher than the capacity offered – 350 MW.
The RFS were invited by the government as part of the second batch of Phase-1 of the National Solar Mission. The last date for submission was October 3.
NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN), the trading arm of NTPC, has been designated as the nodal agency for sale and purchase of grid-connected solar power under Phase-1 of the Mission. NVVN expects to call for discount bids from the shortlisted entities by November.