The Sri Lankan government’s CEB has kicked off a 70 MW ground-mounted solar tender in the South Asian country. According to recently published tender documents, the Sri Lankan-based projects will range from 1 MW to 5 MW and be developed on a 20-year build, own and operate (BOO) basis.

The projects will be connected to existing grid substations. These are the 1 MW (AC) Kurunagala grid substation; the 2 MW (AC) Ampara grid substation; the 2 MW (AC) Habanara grid substation; the 3 MW (AC) Veyangoda grid substation; the 5 MW (AC) Kosgama grid substation; and the 5 MW (AC) Pannala grid substation. Developers must procure 22-year lease agreements for 1.21 hectares per 1 MW of land.

Projects will be awarded 20-year PPAs with a maximum tariff of LKR 34.93/kWh ($0.11/kWh).

The project's technical requirements are not specified in the tender documents.

Applications must include a feasibility study covering costs, technical details, and environmental and archaeological impact. Projects will be selected as part of the “competitive bidding” process.

The plant's commercial operation date is expected to be roughly two years after the letter of award is issued. Deadline for applications is Dec. 19, 2023.

This tender is the third launched in the country since October. Sri Lanka recorded 714 MW installed solar PV capacity at the end of 2022, according to the most recent data published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).