NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN), a wholly-owned subsidiary of NTPC, plans to begin commercial operations of 500 MWh of Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capacity soon, its chief executive officer Somes Bandyopadhyay said on October 8.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the 18th India Coal Summit organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce, Bandyopadhyay said the company also aimed to commission a further 500 MWh of storage capacity during the current financial year.
“Very soon we will be able to put 500 MWh BESS in commercial operation and target to commission a further 500 MWh by this financial year,” Bandyopadhyay said.
BESS installations use batteries, either individually or in groups, to store electricity produced by generation plants. The stored power can subsequently be supplied when demand rises, making the systems relevant to electricity distribution and grid operations.
Bandyopadhyay said the government had provided NVVN with a scheme covering 3,000 MWh. “The government has provided us with a scheme for 3,000 MWh. So in that way, we are into battery energy storage through different modes,” he said.
NVVN is developing large-scale battery energy storage systems across the country. The company’s projects are intended to help utilities manage peak electricity demand and integrate renewable energy into the power system.
Battery storage allows electricity to be held during periods of lower demand or when renewable generation is available and supplied during periods of higher demand. This operating function is particularly relevant as the country expands its renewable-energy capacity and utilities need to balance variations in electricity generation and consumption.
The announcement places NVVN’s planned capacity within a wider national push to develop a BESS ecosystem. However, the statement did not specify the locations of the 500 MWh projects, the technology providers, project costs, tariff arrangements or the exact date on which commercial operations will begin.
The company also did not provide details on how the additional 500 MWh targeted for commissioning within the financial year would be distributed across its projects. The next operational milestone is the start of commercial operations for the first 500 MWh of capacity.
