In a major boost to India’s renewable energy landscape, NHPC Limited has awarded 1,200 MW of ISTS-connected solar power projects integrated with 600 MW/2,400 MWh of energy storage systems (ESS) under its Tranche-XI (2024–25) auction. The auction concluded with a discovered tariff of ₹3.13/kWh, setting a new benchmark for utility-scale solar-plus-storage procurement in the country.
Winners and Capacities Allocated
The winning developers and the project capacities awarded are:
- Reliance Infrastructure – 390 MW
- PNC Infratech – 300 MW
- SAEL Industries – 300 MW
- JBM Renewables – 150 MW
- Navayuga Engineering – 60 MW (allocated through bucket-filling mechanism)
Each awarded solar project will be paired with 0.5 MW/2 MWh of energy storage per MW of solar, as per tender conditions.
Project Overview and Key Conditions
The tender, floated under NIT No. 2025_NHPC_849707_1, invited bids for 1,200 MW of Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS)-connected solar projects, each required to be coupled with ESS. The projects will be developed on a Build-Own-Operate (BOO) basis, with a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA).
Key Details from NHPC’s Official Tender Documents:
- Tariff discovered: ₹3.13/kWh
- Tender issued: March 2025
- Corrigendum issued: May 5, 2025 (Corrigendum No. 3)
- Online bid submission closed: May 15, 2025
- Offline document submission closed: May 19, 2025
- Technical bid opening: May 20, 2025
- Minimum bid size: 50 MW solar with 25 MW/50 MWh ESS
- Storage mandate: 0.5 MW / 2 MWh of storage for every 1 MW of solar
- Green Shoe Option: Up to an additional 1,200 MW solar + 600 MW ESS may be awarded based on demand and feasibility
The projects are expected to connect to the Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) network, allowing for pan-India power distribution. All components must meet MNRE’s Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) requirements and other domestic content obligations.
Significance of the Tender
This marks one of India’s largest renewable-plus-storage auctions by capacity. The competitively low tariff discovered—₹3.13/kWh—is significantly below previous solar+storage benchmarks in the country, which ranged from ₹3.30–₹3.52/kWh. The tender not only strengthens NHPC’s renewable portfolio but also underlines the growing economic viability of integrating storage into solar projects.
The inclusion of the Green Shoe clause also allows NHPC to double the awarded capacity to 2,400 MW solar with 1,200 MW storage, further expanding the scope of clean dispatchable energy if required.
Strategic Vision
NHPC’s Tranche-XI tender is aligned with India’s national objective of enhancing renewable energy adoption and ensuring round-the-clock clean power supply. With storage-backed solar capacity, these projects are poised to play a key role in peak load balancing, grid stability, and renewable integration at scale.
As India accelerates toward its 500 GW non-fossil fuel target by 2030, tenders like this represent critical steps in building a resilient and reliable green energy ecosystem.
