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					</table><p>The Asian Development Bank (<a href="https://www.adb.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ADB</a>) has approved a $160 million loan for Bhutan under the Solar Farm Expansion Project to help the South Asian nation expand its solar power capacity, modernize its electricity grid, and support private-sector participation in the renewable energy sector.</p>
<p>The financing, provided through ADB’s ordinary capital resources, will support at least 310 MW of new solar generation capacity.</p>
<p>ADB said the project will also attract private investment through Bhutan’s first private-majority public-private partnership in the energy sector.</p>
<p>The Solar Farm Expansion Project will support the development of the 120 MW Wobthang and 40 MW Pedseling solar systems in Bumthang, to be constructed by Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC). The project will also support the 150 MW Dramthang solar farm in Lhuentse, to be developed through a joint venture between DGPC and Tata Power Renewable Energy.</p>
<p>The ADB loan will cover most project costs, including DGPC’s equity investment in the public-private partnership joint venture. The loan will include a separate $1 million ADB technical assistance grant to strengthen solar development capacity and policy guidelines. The Solar Farm Expansion Project is also expected to mobilize approximately $68.7 million in private equity and commercial debt.</p>
<p>ADB stated that Bhutan relies heavily on hydropower, but lower winter river flows have reduced generation and increased electricity imports. Peak winter demand rose from 487 MW in 2021 to 1,477 MW in 2025, with the deficit expected to exceed 1,000 MW by 2030. The Solar Farm Expansion Project aims to diversify Bhutan’s energy mix and support its target of harnessing 5,000 MW of solar by 2040.</p>
<p>Bhutan Power Corporation will set up 46 km of transmission infrastructure to connect the solar projects to the national grid.</p>
<p>Last December, ADB <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/adb-approves-650-million-loan-to-accelerate-rooftop-solar-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved</a> a $650 million policy-based loan to support the Government of India in accelerating the adoption of residential rooftop solar systems.</p>
<p>In October 2025, ADB <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/adb-approves-460-million-loan-for-agricultural-solarization-in-maharashtra" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved</a> a $460 million results-based loan to modernize rural power infrastructure, promote distributed renewable energy generation, and provide farmers with reliable daytime solar electricity for irrigation in Maharashtra.</p>



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					</table><p>Telecommunications Consultants India (<a href="https://www.tcil.net.in/index.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TCIL</a>) has invited expressions of interest (EoI) to select a consortium partner for implementing a 120 MW Solar project at Wobthang in Bhutan.</p>
<p>The bids must be submitted by January 30, 2026. Bids will be opened on the same day.</p>
<p>Bidders must furnish an earnest money deposit of ₹10 million (~$111,000) and a tender fee of ₹11,800 (~$131). The successful bidder must submit a performance security of 10% of the contract value.</p>
<p>The scope of work includes the design, supply, installation, testing, engineering, procurement, and construction of the solar project, with operations and maintenance requirements.</p>
<p>Bidders must have completed similar solar projects with a participation value exceeding $49 million within the last five years. The bidders must also have experience in the design, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of solar PV plants, with a minimum cumulative experience of 90 MW covering solar modules, inverters, mounting structures, and supervisory control and data acquisition or grid connectivity systems.</p>
<p>Bidders must have an average annual turnover of at least $15.5 million over the last five financial years, a positive net worth during the same period, profit before tax in at least two of the last three financial years, and available financial resources of not less than $3 million.</p>
<p>Consortium participation is permitted with a maximum of 2 members, with the lead partner required to meet the full experience criteria and to account for at least 25% of the turnover requirement.</p>
<p>Liquidated damages for delays are capped at 12% of the contract value, with performance-related liquidated damages included within the same provisions.</p>
<p>The Asian Development Bank is evaluating lending for the 120 MW Wobthang solar project, along with a 40 MW solar project in Bumthang and a 170 MW solar project in Lhuntse. The estimated cost of the 120 MW Wobthang solar project is $62 million.</p>
<p>In February 2025, TCIL <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/tcil-invites-bids-for-120-mw-solar-project-in-bhutans-thimphu-region" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited</a> expressions of interest to select a consortium partner to implement a 120 MW ground-mounted solar project. The project will be developed in Jamjee, Mewang Gewog, Thimphu, Bhutan, as part of Druk Green Power Corporation’s tender.</p>
<p>The project’s construction has been awarded to the HILD-Rigsar consortium under an engineering, procurement, and construction contract signed on July 15, 2025. Scheduled for completion within 18 months, the project is expected to generate approximately 197 GWh of clean electricity annually.</p>
<p>The project is estimated to cost Nu. 4,703 million (~$56 million). The European Investment Bank (EIB) will finance 50% through a concessional loan under the Hydro and Solar Energy Facility signed in April 2024, while Druk Green Power Corporation will fund the remaining 50% from its own resources.</p>
<p>Subscribe to Mercom’s <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/india-solar-tender-tracker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India Solar Tender Tracker</a> for timely updates on all solar tenders issued by various agencies in India.</p>


TCIL Invites EoI to Select Consortium Partner for 120 MW Solar Project in Bhutan


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					</table><p>Telecommunications Consultants India (<a href="https://www.tcil.net.in/index.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TCIL</a>) has invited expressions of interest to select a consortium partner to implement a 120 MW ground-mounted solar project.</p>
<p>The project will be developed in Jamjee under Mewang Gewog in Thimphu, Bhutan, as a part of <a href="https://www.drukgreen.bt/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Druk Green Power Corporation</a>’s tender.</p>
<p>Bids must be submitted by February 14, 2025. Bids will be opened on the same day.</p>
<p>Bidders must submit a tender fee of ₹20,000 (~$228.60) with an 18% GST, an earnest money deposit of ₹5.17 million (~$59,073.10), with an additional ₹69.83 million (~$797,500) from the lowest bidder.</p>
<p>Selected bidders must furnish a performance bank guarantee.</p>
<p>Successful bidders must design, supply, install, test, and commission the solar project. They must also supply solar modules and evacuation infrastructure, including the pooling substation.</p>
<p>Bidders must have executed at least two grid-connected solar projects of a minimum capacity of 100 MW at a single project site over the past five years, with at least one of these projects operational for a minimum of two years.</p>
<p>They must demonstrate a cumulative execution capacity of 1,000 MW of grid-connected solar projects during the last five years.</p>
<p>Bidders with experience in high-altitude and variable weather conditions will be given preference due to Bhutan&#8217;s challenging terrain and climate.</p>
<p>Bidders must have an average annual turnover of ₹1.551 billion (~$17.73 million) over the last three financial years. Micro and small enterprises must have an annual turnover of ₹1.29 billion (~$15 million).</p>
<p>Bidders must submit manufacturer authorization certificates for solar modules and inverters.</p>
<p>In September 2024, TCIL <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/tcil-invites-bids-to-select-partners-for-11-77-mw-solar-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited</a> expressions of interest to select partner agencies for the design, engineering, procurement and supply, construction and erection, testing, and commissioning of a grid-connected 11,775 kW solar power project.</p>
<p>In July, TCIL <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/tcil-floats-tender-for-a-2-mw-floating-solar-project-in-mauritius" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited</a> bids to establish a 2 MW floating solar photovoltaic project at the Tamarind Falls Reservoir, Mauritius.</p>
<p>Subscribe to Mercom’s <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/india-solar-tender-tracker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India Solar Tender Tracker</a> for timely updates on all solar tenders issued by various agencies in India.</p>


TCIL Invites Bids for 120 MW Solar Project in Bhutan’s Thimphu Region


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					</table><p>Bhutan is set to get its first utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) power project, with the Asian Development Bank (<a href="https://www.adb.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ADB</a>) approving financing of $18.26 million for its construction.</p>
<p>The project will have a capacity of 17.38 MW and will produce 25 GWh of power annually.</p>
<p>The project will help diversify Bhutan&#8217;s energy mix, which relies on hydropower making the sector vulnerable to variations in climate.</p>
<p>The Bhutan government will contribute $990,000 to the project. The financing from ADB also includes an $8.26 million concessional loan and an ADB-administered $10 million grant from the Asian Development Fund.</p>
<p>ADB Energy Specialist for South Asia Christoph Meindl explained, &#8220;This project will be Bhutan&#8217;s first major step toward diversifying power generation and increasing the resilience of its energy sector to future climate shocks. Increasing temperatures are projected to decrease glaciers and snow-covered areas, which will shift Bhutan&#8217;s hydrological system to a more rainfall-dominated pattern. This affects hydropower generation due to expected frequent droughts outside of the monsoon season and extreme high flows during the monsoon season.&#8221;</p>
<p>Technical assistance of $20,000 from ADB&#8217;s Technical Assistance Special Fund and $450,000 from the Republic of Korea e-Asia and Knowledge Partnership Fund will also support the project&#8217;s construction.</p>
<p>ADB said that the technical assistance would bolster learning opportunities on climate-resilient energy systems for higher secondary students in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines.</p>
<p>The assistance will also encourage learning for the Department of Renewable Energy (DRE) under Bhutan&#8217;s Ministry of Economic Affairs. Women will constitute around 30%–40% of the beneficiaries of these learning programs. The DRE will conduct a gender equality and social inclusion mainstreaming self-assessment that will help the agency adopt an inclusive policy on a corporate level, like supporting gender-balanced staffing, proactive recruitment of persons with disabilities, and equality of pay.</p>
<p>Last year, ADB <a href="https://mercomindia.com/asian-development-bank-increases-climate-financing-target/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raised</a> its climate financing targets for developing member nations to $100 billion from $80 billion until 2030.</p>
<p>In December 2020, the bank <a href="https://mercomindia.com/adb-approves-loan-hydropower-project-assam/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved</a> $231 million to develop the Lower Kopili Hydroelectric Power facility in Assam, India.</p>


ADB Approves $18 Million for Bhutan’s First Utility-Scale Solar Power Project


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					</table><p>Bhutan’s <a href="https://www.moea.gov.bt/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ministry of Economic Affairs</a>, on behalf of the Department of Renewable Energy, has invited bids for the design, procurement, construction, and completion of the 17.38 MW Sephu solar photovoltaic (PV) power project.</p>
<p>The Sephu project comprises a main electrical system, including solar PV modules, inverters, cables, transformers, protection equipment, module mounting structures, site access, internal roads, buildings and civil works, drainage systems, lighting protection system, emergency generator, and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems.</p>
<p>The estimated completion time for planning, engineering, procurement, construction, testing, and commissioning of the solar PV plant in Sephu is 540 days.</p>
<p>The last date scheduled for submission of the bids is September 19, 2022.</p>
<p>The Bhutan government has applied for a loan from the <a href="https://www.adb.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Asian Development Bank</a> toward the cost of the Renewable Energy for Climate Resilience Project, wherein part of the debt sought will be used to make payments for the Sephu solar project.</p>
<p>Bidders must have an average annual turnover of $21 million in the last five years. They must meet or exceed the cash flow requirement of $2.6 million.</p>
<p>Bidders must have experience in designing, engineering, testing, and commissioning ground-mounted, grid-connected solar PV power projects of at least 10 MW.</p>
<p>Bidders must also have experience handling and deploying ground-mounted PV projects with PV modules, foundations, mounting structures, grid-tied inverters, transformers, SCADA systems, and a monitoring system of at least 10 MW.</p>
<p>They must have participated in bids as a contractor, joint venture partner, or subcontractor in at least two contracts in the last five years, with the value of the bidder’s participation under each contract over $12.8 million.</p>
<p>Earlier this year, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Bhutan government <a href="https://mercomindia.com/daily-news-wrap-up-sbi-partners-finance-solar-projects/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ratified</a> the Country Framework Agreement allowing EIB to commence operations in the Kingdom. The agreement was expected to help expand the existing EU economic support for the country, especially on climate action, climate resilience, and energy efficiency.</p>
<p>Last year, EIB and State Bank of India <a href="https://mercomindia.com/eib-sbi-launch-e100-million-sustainability-financing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">launched</a> a new initiative of €100 million (~$99.26 million) for climate action and sustainability financing.</p>
<p>Subscribe to Mercom’s <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/india-solar-tender-tracker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India Solar Tender Tracker</a> to stay on top of tender activity in real time.</p>


Bhutan Invites Bids to Develop 17.38 MW Sephu Solar Project

<p>India and Bhutan have formed their first-ever joint venture to develop a hydropower project.</p>
<p>The 600 MW project will be located on the Kholongchhu river in Trashiyangtse district of eastern Bhutan. The project will be developed by Kholongchhu Hydroelectric Limited, a joint venture formed between Druk Green Power Corporation of Bhutan and Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited of India. The project is expected to be completed in the second half of 2025.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.khepbhutan.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kholongchhu Hydro Energy Limited</a> has also signed a concession agreement with the government of Bhutan for the development of the project. The project will consist of an underground powerhouse of four 150 MW turbines, which will be impounded with water from a concrete gravity dam with a height of 95 meters.</p>
<p>The hydropower sector is the primary area of cooperation between the two countries. So far, India has funded four hydropower projects in Bhutan, which include 36 MW Chukha hydropower project, 60 MW Kurichhu hydropower project, 1,020 MW Tala hydropower project, and 720 MW Mangdechu hydropower project totaling about 2.1 GW of hydroelectric power.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the International Hydropower Association recently <a href="https://mercomindia.com/india-overtakes-japan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">released</a> its 2020 Hydropower Status Report, which notes that India overtook Japan as the fifth largest hydropower generator in the world with an installed capacity of 50.07 GW. The IHA’s report also showed that globally, hydropower generated 4,306 TW of power in 2019, the highest contribution from any renewable energy source recorded in history. The report also noted that the largest hydro project commissioned in 2019 was the 720 MW Mangdechu Project in Bhutan, funded by the Indian government to power the country’s market and to export any surplus power to India.</p>
<p>In March 2019, India <a href="https://mercomindia.com/large-hydro-projects-renewable-sources/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">decided</a> to include large hydropower projects over 25 MW under the portfolio of renewable energy. This move by the government <a href="https://mercomindia.com/large-hydro-power-indias-renewable-mix-good/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">added</a> 43 GW of existing hydropower projects to the renewables basket.</p>
<p>According to Mercom India Research, as of March 31, 2020, large hydropower projects of 45.7 GW are operational in the country, <a href="https://mercomindia.com/solar-share-india-installed-power-capacity-mix/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">accounting</a> for 12.3% of the total installed power capacity in India.</p>


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