1. GRIDCO is conducting a tender-based competitive bidding process in May, followed by an online reverse auction, to enter into energy storage purchase agreement contracts with successful developers.
2. Battery energy storage system (BESS) resources must come online by April 2026 and provide capacity until March 2031, with the possibility of contract extensions.
3. Odisha, India’s state government, is focusing on incorporating renewable energy sources into its portfolio, with a mandate for energy storage obligation and plans for BESS and pumped hydro storage projects.
GRIDCO, a power company owned by the state government of Odisha, India, will be conducting a tender-based competitive bidding process followed by an online reverse auction in May to enter into energy storage purchase agreements with successful developers. Battery energy storage systems (BESS) must come online by April 2026 and provide capacity until March 2031, with the possibility of contract extensions. Projects must have a minimum 50MW output and 250MWh capacity, with no larger than 250MW/1,250MWh per project, and must meet a 5-hour duration requirement.
GRIDCO is aligning with India’s national renewable energy target and incorporating more variable renewable energy resources into its portfolio. BESS and pumped hydro energy storage are seen as cost-effective and technically capable resources for integrating renewable energy capacity.
The Ministry of Power has mandated an Energy Storage Obligation for GRIDCO, requiring 4% energy storage by 2029-2030. GRIDCO is also soliciting consultants for developing pumped hydro energy storage resources on a larger scale, with a pre-bid meeting held in March and bids due in April. India’s National Electricity Plan estimates a need for 61GW/336GWh of energy storage deployments by 2030, with tenders playing a crucial role in procurement and deployment. Energy storage is considered the main disruptor of India’s power sector, with 8GW of tenders issued by government authorities and a 4GWh tender supported by the Union Government recently launched.