New Delhi,

Reliance Power has successfully secured a tender from the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) for a battery energy storage system (BESS) project of 500 megawatt (MW)/1000 MWh through e-Reverse Auction (eRA), marking its entry into the renewable energy and storage sector.

The auction, held on September 11, is part of SECI’s initiative to enhance energy storage capabilities across the country. When contacted, a spokesperson for Reliance Power confirmed their participation in the bid.

The contract involves the installation of a total of 1,000 MW/2000 MWh of standalone BESS units, awarded on a Build, Own, and Operate (BOO) model for “On Demand” usage under a tariff-based competitive bidding process. Reliance Power has secured 500 MW/1000 MWh of this capacity.

The competitive bidding saw Reliance Power submitting a tariff bid of ₹3.81999 lakh per MW per month. JSW emerged as the lowest bidder, offering a tariff of ₹3.81 lakh per MW per month for their 500 MW/ MWh allocation. 

Energy Storage

This new tariff represents one of the lowest rates for BESS tenders at the 400 KV level in India to date. The delivery point for the project shall be 400 kV Fatehgarh (ATL) PS, Rajasthan. 

The scheduled commissioning date for the full capacity will be 24 months from the effective date of the BESPA (Battery Energy Storage Purchase Agreement).

Reliance Power’s successful bid highlights the company’s strategic shift towards renewable energy and storage solutions, promising increased competition and efficiency in the sector. The introduction of such competitive tariffs is expected to set new standards and drive further advancements in India’s energy storage capabilities.

The highest quoted tariff for this tender was ₹4.9 lakh per MW per month. Other contenders included Avaada Energy, ACME Cleantech, Gensol and Indigrid2.