Coal India Wins Rs 4 bn Battery Energy Storage Project in Odisha

06 May 2026 CW Team

Coal India Limited (CIL) has secured a Letter of Award from GRIDCO Limited, Odisha, to develop a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) valued at Rs 4 billion (Rs 4 bn), the company disclosed under Regulation 30 of SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 on 30 April 2026. The contract covers the establishment of a 320 MWh battery energy storage installation configured as 80 MW for four hours. The award follows a domestic bidding process and is intended to bolster grid operations in the state.

The BESS will be deployed across two clusters in Odisha, with Cluster one serving Padampur and Bolangir and Cluster two serving Bhatli and Basta. Tariffs have been set at Rs 0.304 million (Rs 0.304 mn) per MW per month for Cluster one and Rs 0.305 million (Rs 0.305 mn) per MW per month for Cluster two. The capacity structure and tariff framework align with requirements for ancillary grid services and renewable integration.

The estimated project cost is Rs 4 billion (Rs 4 bn) and the execution period is 18 months from signing of the Battery Energy Storage Purchase Agreement. Coal India will be required to submit statutory and contractual documents within 20 days, conclude the BESPA and furnish a Performance Bank Guarantee (PBG) as per the award conditions. The firm will carry out engineering, procurement and construction for the installations under the contract.

GRIDCO awarded the domestic contract to Coal India on an arm's length basis and the company confirmed there are no related party transactions. The project will enhance grid stability, support peak management and aid the integration of renewable generation into the regional network. Coal India will proceed with mobilisation and project planning following regulatory and contractual clearances.

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