India’s first commercial 20 MW BESS set to go live
The unit, being set up at the 33 KV substation of BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL), will boost power supply for around 100,000 residents in Kilokri, a densely populated area of South Delhi.
India’s first commercially approved standalone 20 MW battery energy storage system (BESS), which can provide four hours of daily power, is nearing completion in Delhi.
Twelve liquid-cooled batteries are being installed, with nine already in place and the remainder expected to be installed shortly, Delhi’s power distribution company BSES said, according to a report by news agency PTI.
The batteries will be charged during off-peak hours and discharge during peak demand periods.
The system is expected to go live by the end of March or early April. The unit, being set up at the 33 KV substation of BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL), will boost power supply for around 100,000 residents in Kilokri, a densely populated area of South Delhi, BSES said.
BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL) is a joint venture between Reliance Infrastructure Limited and Govt of NCT of Delhi. The company supplies electricity to over 3 million customers, covering a population base of over 12 million in South and West Delhi.
The project, executed in collaboration with IndiGrid and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), marks India’s first standalone BESS at the distribution level and will support the clean energy transition and the integration of renewable energy sources.
The BESS is expected to have a lifespan of 12 years and utilize advanced Lithium-iron-phosphate batteries.
In collaboration with its alliance partners, GEAPP is targeting 1GW of BESS commitments in India by 2026, aligning with India’s ambitious goal of deploying 47 GW of BESS by 2032.
India’s urgent need for BESS integration in the distribution grid is underscored by the country’s substantial Variable Renewable Energy (VRE) penetration, which exceeds 12% in certain regions, GEAPP said in a media release last year.
