VSL PowerHive, the wholly owned energy storage subsidiary of Vikram Solar, has announced plans to establish a 7.5 GWh-per-year Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) assembly plant at Oragadam near Chennai, with inauguration scheduled for January 2027 and commercial operations expected to begin in April 2027.
The facility will cover approximately 1.65 lakh square feet and is designed to scale up to 15 GWh in later phases. It will form part of PowerHive’s broader plan to build 30 GWh of total battery manufacturing capacity by 2030, according to the company.
The Oragadam plant will assemble lithium iron phosphate-based energy storage systems for utility-scale projects and commercial and industrial applications. Its planned product portfolio includes 5.016 MWh and 6.25 MWh liquid-cooled BESS containers, PowerHive’s P261 battery cabinets, utility-scale energy storage systems and storage solutions integrated with renewable-energy projects.
The announcement expands Vikram Solar’s presence in Tamil Nadu, where the company already operates module manufacturing units at Oragadam and Vallam near Thanjavur. Earlier this year, Vikram Solar signed a memorandum of understanding with the Tamil Nadu government to invest ₹15,037 crore in a BESS plant at its integrated manufacturing facility in Gangaikondan, Tirunelveli, where it operates an existing module manufacturing unit.
The company said the Oragadam assembly facility would support the development of domestic battery manufacturing capabilities as India expands its use of solar and wind power. Battery storage can help manage the gap between variable renewable generation and electricity demand by storing power for use when generation is lower.
“Storage is the bridge between India’s renewable ambition and round-the-clock clean power,” Gyanesh Chaudhary, Chairman and Managing Director of Vikram Solar, said. “As the country scales up solar and wind, the ability to store that energy reliably will define the next phase of the transition, and that capability must be built in India.”
Arun Mittal, CEO of VSL PowerHive, said the company would begin with 7.5 GWh of assembly capacity and progress towards cells and an integrated battery manufacturing ecosystem. The company has not disclosed the investment amount specifically allocated to the Oragadam facility or the expected employment generated by the plant.
The project’s immediate milestones are the planned inauguration in January 2027 and the start of commercial operations in April 2027. Its subsequent capacity expansion will determine how quickly the facility moves from assembly towards the wider manufacturing roadmap announced by PowerHive.
