Solar Energy Corp withdraws
New Delhi: The Solar Energy Corp withdraws (Seci) has withdrawn its order barring Reliance Power from renewable energy tenders.
The development comes a week after the Delhi High Court ordered a stay on the debarment of the company, except for its subsidiary Reliance NU BESS. On 6 November, Seci had barred Reliance Power and its subsidiary Reliance NU BESS from participating in tenders floated by the state-run entity for three years over alleged submission of fake documents by the companies.
“Following the legal proceedings related to this matter, it is hereby notified that the debarment notice issued to M/s Reliance Power Limited has been withdrawn, with immediate effect,” said the notification from Seci on Tuesday.
“This withdrawal is without prejudice to Seci’s right to take all actions in accordance with the law. Accordingly, the public notice dated 06.11.2024, stands modified to the limited extent as above,” it said.
Banned last month
The ban was imposed last month in response to the submission of allegedly fake documents by the Anil Ambani companies in a tender released by Seci in June, which sought bids for a 1,000 MW/2,000 MWh standalone battery energy storage systems (BESS) project. Following this, the tender process was cancelled.
After a review of the documents submitted by Maharashtra Energy Generation Ltd (currently Reliance NU BESS), Seci found that the endorsement of the bank guarantee against the earnest money deposit issued by a foreign bank was fake.
“Since the discrepancy was discovered subsequent to the e-reverse auction, Seci was constrained to annul the tendering process,” the state-run entity had said.
In September, Reliance Power successfully secured a tender from Seci for the BESS project through an e-reverse auction, marking its entry into the renewable energy and storage sector. An e-reverse auction is an online auction in which suppliers compete to win a buyer’s business by submitting bids that gradually decrease in price.
Notice challenged
Following the debarment, Reliance Power challenged the notice of debarment in the Delhi High Court.
Informing the exchanges about the withdrawal of debarment, Reliance Power said: “The company and its subsidiaries except Reliance NU BESS Limited (formerly known as Maharashtra Energy Generation Limited) are eligible to participate in all tenders issued by Seci.”
Seci plays a key role in India’s renewable energy push by acting as a central intermediary between private power producers and state power distribution companies (discoms). Its tendering process has been in the spotlight after its mention in the US indictment of Gautam Adani, other Adani Green Energy officials and Azure Power officials.