The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has published draft procedures and reporting formats for mandatory external safety audits of Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) installations as India prepares for a rapid scale-up in battery storage deployments. Feedback from stakeholders is needed by July 28.
Every two years, all generating stations with BESS installations will have to submit external safety audit reports to the CEA under the proposed structure. The authority may also physically verify the audits, which must be carried out by authorised third-party organisations.
The draft framework prescribes a comprehensive audit format covering project details, occupational safety and health (OSH) systems, technical compliance checks, observations, recommendations and timelines for corrective actions. Developers will also be required to classify identified risks into low, medium and high categories and submit action plans for addressing them.
The proposed technical checklist includes parameters such as site suitability, resilience to extreme weather conditions, fire suppression and explosion protection systems, surge protection measures, SCADA integration, auxiliary power arrangements and cybersecurity provisions. It also mandates verification of real-time monitoring capabilities for battery temperatures, voltages, humidity levels and power output.
Further, project developers will be required to maintain records related to cell- and system-level certifications, thermal runaway characterisation studies, environmental stress testing, anti-islanding protection tests, metering records and safety clearances obtained from the CEA or the Chief Electrical Inspector before commissioning.
The draft norms also introduce a series of self-certification requirements for project owners, including compliance with seismic standards, performance guarantees, minimum depth of discharge, round-trip efficiency and battery management system (BMS) capabilities. BESS projects will need to demonstrate two-fault tolerance to prevent catastrophic failures and deploy hazard detection systems for smoke, gas, heat and flame.
Additionally, CEA has established requirements for external auditor eligibility. At least three professionals with credentials in mechanical, electrical, fire, and safety engineering must be on audit teams. One member must be an ISO-45001 lead auditor, and another must have worked in hazardous industries or power plant operations for at least ten years. A minimum of three days of field inspection must be part of the audit process.
The effort coincides with India’s goal of deploying battery storage systems on a broad scale to facilitate the integration of renewable energy sources. The proposed framework is anticipated to establish a consistent safety and regulatory framework for the developing industry.
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