Solar Energy Corporation of India


Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd. is a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, established to facilitate the implementation of the National Solar Mission. The company's mandate has been broadened to cover the entire renewable energy domain. The company attained Navratna status in 2024, which allows the organisation to undertake substantial investments of up to ₹1,000 crore without needing approval from the Centre. SECI has also been designated as one of the Renewable Energy Implementing Agencies by the Government for addition and expansion of Renewable Energy capacity in the country.
The company is responsible for implementation of a number of government schemes, major ones being the VGF schemes for large-scale grid-connected projects under NSM, solar park scheme and grid-connected solar rooftop scheme, along with a host of other specialised schemes.
In addition, SECI has ventured into solar project development on turnkey basis for several PSUs. The company also has a power-trading licence and is active in this domain through trading of solar power from projects set up under the schemes being implemented by it. IREDA, REC and Tusco Ltd. are some of the public sector rivals in the same space.
WWW seci.gov.in/content

Background

SECI was incorporated in year 2011 as not for profit company and converted to a commercial company in 2015. SECI releases tenders for the selection of Renewable Energy developers for the establishment of Projects on a Pan-India or State-specific basis. The selection process for successful bidders is conducted through a tariff-based competitive e-bidding procedure.
SECI invited bids to setup 2000MW inter-state grid connected solar power projects. SECI will be paid 265$ million USD under this tender.
Though SECI was not meant to make profits, it made profits of ₹12 crores in 2014–15 following which the Union Cabinet under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave its approval to the SECI to:
  1. Converting it into Section 3 Company under the Companies Act, 2013
The major impact of the decision will be:
  1. SECI will become a self-sustaining and self-generating organisation with its own solar power plants that will generate and sell power. It will also help the company in other segments of solar sector activities, including manufacturing of solar products and materials since it was not allowed earlier.
  2. SECI will become RECI after change of its name and then will take up development of all segments of renewable energy namely, geo-thermal, off-shore wind, tidal etc. apart from solar energy.
  3. In 2016, SECI also faced huge challenges. Since India's reverse auction mechanism has not stabilized the market and system in 2016, SECI has conducted 9 auctions. However, most of the projects were unable to proceed normally, and many bids were under-subscribed.