NTPC, Tata, Opera Win BESS Projects in Kerala

05 Aug 2025 CW Team

NTPC Green Energy, Tata Power Renewable Energy, and Opera Energy have emerged as winners in the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation’s (NHPC) first tranche auction for the development of 125 MW / 500 MWh standalone battery energy storage systems (BESS) in Kerala. These projects will connect to the state’s intrastate transmission grid.

NTPC Green Energy secured two projects—a 40 MW / 160 MWh system at the Sreekantapuram substation with a quoted monthly tariff of Rs 434,000 per MW, and another 40 MW / 160 MWh unit at Pothencode substation, awarded at Rs 457,000 per MW.

Opera Energy won a 15 MW / 60 MWh project at Mulleria substation with a tariff of Rs 438,000 per MW per month, while Tata Power Renewable Energy was awarded a 30 MW / 120 MWh project at the Areacode substation, also priced at Rs 438,000 per MW per month.

The auction followed a tender issued in January 2025. All awarded developers must commission their projects within 18 months from the signing of the battery energy storage purchase agreement.

Each project qualifies for viability gap funding of either Rs 2.7 million per MWh or 30 per cent of the capital cost, whichever is lower. Developers are also required to submit a security deposit of Rs 500,000 per MWh prior to the first phase of commissioning.

Each BESS unit is mandated to complete at least one full charge-discharge cycle per day, with 95 per cent monthly system availability. Systems must also maintain a minimum round-trip efficiency of 85 per cent on an AC-to-AC basis.

The Kerala State Electricity Board will give priority to charging from renewable sources, and only commercially operational technologies that comply with existing technical standards will be permitted.

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