The Solar Energy Corporation's latest tender for solar plants in Uttar Pradesh, setting a base tariff of Rs 4.43 per kwH, has drawn bidders even as many in the trade have deemed the price too aggressive. RattanIndia Solar 2 Ltd, a subsidiary of the RattanIndia Group, won a 50 MW project at the Allahabad solar park, while France-based SolaireDirect got 75 MW at the Mirzapur park, both accepting the tariff of Rs 4.43 per kwH. Both will be eligible for financial support under viability gap funding — Rs 75 lakh per MW at Allahabad and Rs 74.3 lakh per MW at Mirzapur. Participation in the tender, however, was limited, with just three bidders. With solar prices rapidly falling across different auctions in the past few months, the Solar Energy Corporation lowered its base price to Rs 4.43 per kwH from Rs 5.45 two months ago. While it has floated one successful tender at this price in Maharashtra, many felt that in eastern UP, with its lower radiation, such a price may not be viable. "In our view, it is insufficient to compensate for the lower output and poor operating environment in the state," said Vinay Rustagi, managing director of solar consultancy Bridge to India. The lowest solar tariff so far has been Rs 4.34 per kwH, quoted by Fortum Finnsurya at an NTPC auction in January for a 70 MW plant at Bhadla in Rajasthan. Bhadla, however, has the highest radiation in the country. The UP tender was originally for 440 MW, but the remaining 315 MW will have to be retendered, as grid connectivity emerged as a problem at the other two solar parks in the state - Jalaun and Kanpur - where the plants were to be located. There were no bidders for either the 265 MW project at Jalaun or 50 MW at Kanpur.