SECI Invites Bids for 5.29 MW Rooftop Solar RESCO Projects

The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has launched a fresh round of competitive bidding for grid-connected rooftop solar photovoltaic projects under the RESCO (Renewable Energy Service Company) model. The tender, covering 5,290 kW — or 5.29 MW — of rooftop solar capacity, spans eight government institutions across multiple states and union territories. The Request for Selection (RfS) was issued on July 27, 2026, under reference number SECI/C&P/IPP/11/0007/26-27, with Tender Search Code SECI-2026-TN000018.

TL;DR

SECI's latest RESCO tender packages 5.29 MW of rooftop solar across eight government institutions in two categories, with 25-year Build-Own-Operate (B-O-O) PPAs. Category A covers six institutions totaling 2,400 kW at a PBG of Rs 3,375/kW, while Category B covers two high-altitude institutions totaling 2,890 kW at a PBG of Rs 3,715/kW. The largest single project is IIT Mandi's 2 MW behind-the-meter carport solar installation. Developers must commission Category A projects within 6 months and Category B within 7 months of the PPA, with minimum capacity utilization factors of 15% and 13.5% respectively over the 25-year term.

Overview of the SECI 5.29 MW Rooftop Solar RESCO Tender

SECI issued this RfS to select developers for setting up 5,290 kW of grid-connected rooftop solar PV power projects under the RESCO model at various government institutions across India. The procurement follows a Build-Own-Operate (B-O-O) framework, meaning the selected developer owns, builds, and operates the solar asset for the entire 25-year PPA duration.

Under this arrangement, the developer is responsible for the complete project lifecycle: obtaining all necessary approvals, securing DISCOM no-objection certificates (NOCs), detailed design, supply of modules and balance-of-system, installation, testing, commissioning, and ongoing operations and maintenance (O&M) for the full 25-year PPA term. The host institution provides rooftop or parking-area space and consumes the generated power, paying a pre-agreed tariff to the developer.

This tender is a textbook example of the RESCO / OPEX solar model in action, where the capital expenditure burden stays with the developer and the off-taker benefits from solar savings without upfront investment. For commercial and industrial buyers evaluating similar zero-capex solar structures, SECI's tender documents — covering performance bank guarantees, service charges, and commissioning timelines — serve as a practical reference template.

Project Distribution: 8 Institutions, 2 Categories

The 5.29 MW capacity is split across two categories, segmented largely by site complexity and geography. Category A comprises six institutions totaling 2,400 kW, while Category B comprises two institutions totaling 2,890 kW in more challenging terrain.

Category A Institutions

BBAU Lucknow anchors Category A with 1,500 kW — the second-largest project in the entire tender — reflecting a large campus with substantial rooftop availability.

Category B Institutions

IIT Mandi's 2,000 kW allocation is the single largest project in the tender and carries a distinctive technical specification: it will be a Behind-the-Meter (BTM) solar installation equipped with a Zero Export Device, using parking-mounted carport structures. This makes it a rare large-scale carport solar reference in a government tender, and a valuable case study for commercial and industrial solar buyers exploring carport installations over ground-mount systems.

Key Tender Parameters and Financials

Bid Processing Fee and Earnest Money Deposit

The bid processing fee is set at Rs 6,000 (inclusive of GST) and is non-refundable. Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) are exempted from this fee, consistent with public procurement preferences for MSEs.

The Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) varies significantly by project size, reflecting the financial commitment required from bidders. The table below summarizes the EMDs for each institution:

The highest EMD — Rs 19.8 lakh — is for the IIT Mandi project, followed by Rs 13.5 lakh for BBAU Lucknow and Rs 8.81 lakh for NIFT Srinagar. The remaining institutions carry EMDs in the range of Rs 63,000 to Rs 2.79 lakh.

Performance Bank Guarantee and Service Charges

The higher PBG and service charges for Category B reflect the additional complexity of installing and operating solar in high-altitude, snow-prone locations like Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.

Timeline: From Bid Submission to Commissioning

SECI has laid out a clear sequence of milestones that developers must meet. Understanding these timelines is essential for any developer — and equally useful for C&I buyers structuring their own solar PPA agreements with EPC or RESCO partners.

The 30-day PPA signing window, 90-day net-metering application deadline, and 6-7 month commissioning schedule collectively define the project's critical path. The minimum capacity utilization factor — 15% for Category A and 13.5% for Category B — is measured over the full 25-year operation period and serves as the developer's performance guarantee to the off-taker.

The IIT Mandi Carport Solar Project: A Benchmark for BTM Solar

The IIT Mandi allocation deserves special attention. At 2,000 kW, it is not only the largest project in this tender but also one of the most technically distinctive. Key specifications include:

• Behind-the-Meter (BTM) configuration: Power is consumed on-site without exporting to the grid, maximizing self-consumption savings.
• Zero Export Device: Ensures no surplus power flows back into the grid, complying with DISCOM interconnection requirements.
• Parking-mounted carport structures: Solar panels are mounted on elevated carport frameworks over parking areas rather than on building rooftops, enabling dual-use of land.

For industrial buyers, this project is a direct reference point for evaluating solar carport versus ground-mount installations. Carport solar is increasingly relevant for factories, logistics hubs, and campuses where rooftop space is limited but large parking areas are available. The 2 MW scale also demonstrates that carport solar is viable at utility-scale within a single site.

How This Tender Connects to C&I Solar Buyers

While this SECI tender targets government institutions, its structure and parameters are directly relevant to commercial and industrial procurers for several reasons:

1. RESCO as a zero-capex model: The B-O-O structure mirrors what many C&I buyers seek — solar savings without upfront capital. The RESCO / OPEX solar model is increasingly available to private buyers, and SECI's tender is a transparent, public-domain template for how such agreements should be structured.

2. PBG benchmarks: The Rs 3,375/kW to Rs 3,715/kW PBG levels give C&I buyers a reference for what performance security developers should reasonably provide in a 25-year PPA.

3. Service-charge transparency: SECI's disclosed service charges (Rs 1,350 to Rs 1,485 per kW plus GST) help buyers understand the intermediary-cost layer when an agency like SECI sits between the developer and the off-taker.

4. Commissioning timelines: The 6-7 month commissioning window is a realistic benchmark for solar EPC execution on government and institutional rooftops.

5. Open-access relevance: For institutions and businesses in states with favorable open-access solar frameworks, the net-metering and DISCOM NOC requirements in this tender mirror what private procurers must also navigate. Buyers comparing state-level policies can refer to our solar open-access state comparison.

6. Group captive angle: Buyers exploring group captive solar structures can draw parallels to the multi-site aggregation approach SECI uses here — bundling multiple institutions under a single tender to achieve scale.

7. Hybrid procurement context: While this tender is solar-only, C&I buyers increasingly evaluate solar-wind hybrid versus solar-only configurations. Understanding the RESCO structure for standalone solar — as this tender demonstrates — is a foundation before layering in wind capacity for round-the-clock renewable supply.

5 Definitive Statements About This Tender

1. SECI's 5.29 MW RESCO tender is the largest multi-institution rooftop solar procurement issued under the B-O-O model in July 2026, covering eight sites across six states and union territories.

2. IIT Mandi's 2 MW behind-the-meter carport solar project is the single largest allocation and the only carport-mounted installation in this tender, making it a flagship reference for large-scale parking-area solar.

3. The two-category structure — with differentiated PBG, service charges, commissioning timelines, and CUF requirements — reflects SECI's recognition that high-altitude sites demand distinct technical and commercial treatment.

4. The 25-year PPA with full developer responsibility for approvals, DISCOM NOCs, O&M, and performance guarantees represents a complete turnkey RESCO arrangement with zero capital exposure for the host institutions.

5. Minimum CUF commitments of 15% (Category A) and 13.5% (Category B) over 25 years set a clear, measurable performance floor that protects off-takers from underperforming assets.

Key Takeaways

• SECI issued RfS No. SECI/C&P/IPP/11/0007/26-27 (Tender Code SECI-2026-TN000018) on July 27, 2026 for 5.29 MW of grid-connected rooftop solar under the RESCO/B-O-O model.
• Eight government institutions are covered, split into Category A (2,400 kW across six sites) and Category B (2,890 kW across two sites).
• The IIT Mandi 2 MW BTM carport project is the standout allocation, combining behind-the-meter design with parking-mounted structures.
• Financial parameters include a Rs 6,000 bid fee, project-wise EMDs up to Rs 19.8 lakh, PBG of Rs 3,375/kW (Cat A) and Rs 3,715/kW (Cat B), and SECI service charges of Rs 1,350-1,485/kW plus GST.
• Commissioning must occur within 6 months (Cat A) and 7 months (Cat B) of PPA, with minimum CUFs of 15% and 13.5% respectively over the 25-year term.
• The tender's structure — covering PBG, timelines, and service charges — is a practical template for C&I buyers structuring their own RESCO or PPA-based solar procurements.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the total capacity of the SECI rooftop solar RESCO tender issued in July 2026?

The tender covers 5,290 kW, or 5.29 MW, of grid-connected rooftop solar PV capacity spread across eight government institutions in India. It is divided into two categories: Category A with 2,400 kW across six institutions and Category B with 2,890 kW across two institutions.

Which institutions are included in Category A of this SECI tender?

Category A includes Dr. Ambedkar International Centre New Delhi (200 kW), Dr. Ambedkar National Memorial New Delhi (70 kW), IISER Mohali Punjab (310 kW), BBAU Lucknow Uttar Pradesh (1,500 kW), BBAUSC Amethi Uttar Pradesh (220 kW), and NIFT Patna Bihar (100 kW), totaling 2,400 kW.

What makes the IIT Mandi project unique in this tender?

The IIT Mandi project is the largest allocation at 2,000 kW and is configured as a Behind-the-Meter (BTM) solar installation with a Zero Export Device, using parking-mounted carport structures. This makes it a large-scale carport solar reference within a government procurement.

What are the EMD requirements for bidders in this tender?

The bid processing fee is Rs 6,000 inclusive of GST and is non-refundable, with MSEs exempted. EMDs vary by project, with the highest being Rs 19.8 lakh for IIT Mandi, Rs 13.5 lakh for BBAU Lucknow, Rs 8.81 lakh for NIFT Srinagar, and Rs 63,000 to Rs 2.79 lakh for the remaining institutions.

What is the commissioning timeline for projects under this SECI tender?

Category A projects must be commissioned within 6 months of the PPA signing date, and Category B projects within 7 months. PPAs must be signed within 30 days of the Letter of Award, and net-metering applications must be submitted within 90 days of PPA signing.

What performance guarantees does SECI require from developers?

Developers must furnish a Performance Bank Guarantee of Rs 3,375 per kW for Category A and Rs 3,715 per kW for Category B. Additionally, the minimum capacity utilization factor is 15% for Category A and 13.5% for Category B, measured over the entire 25-year PPA operation period.

How does this tender relate to commercial and industrial solar buyers?

The RESCO B-O-O structure, PBG benchmarks, service-charge transparency, and commissioning timelines in this tender serve as a public-domain template that C&I buyers can reference when structuring their own solar PPA agreements or evaluating RESCO/OPEX solar propositions from developers.

Can private companies participate in this SECI tender?

Yes, the tender is open to eligible developers who meet the technical and financial qualification criteria specified by SECI. The B-O-O model means the developer invests capital and recovers it through the 25-year PPA tariff, making it attractive to established solar developers and RESCO operators.

Sources

• SolarQuarter — SECI Rooftop Solar RESCO Tender (July 28, 2026)

This article is based on publicly available tender information and news reporting as of July 28, 2026. For the complete and authoritative tender details, refer to SECI's official tender documents. Sun Wave Technologies covers the latest developments in India's solar and renewable energy sector — for a broader view of where the industry is headed, see our India solar industry outlook for 2025-26.