SECI Floats 800 MW/3,200 MWh BESS Tender

The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has invited bids for the development of an 800 MW/3,200 MWh standalone Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) under the Build, Own and Operate (BOO) model. The tender seeks Battery Energy Storage System Developers (BESSDs) to install, operate and maintain storage capacity for on-demand discharge by the designated Buying Entity.

SECI has set October 30, 2026, as the deadline for submitting online bids. The procurement is structured around a four-hour charging and four-hour discharge cycle, with the selected developers responsible for making the contracted storage capacity available according to the requirements of the Buying Entity.

Key Tender Highlights

Tender capacity: Up to 800 MW/3,200 MWh
Minimum bid capacity: 50 MW/200 MWh
Maximum bid capacity: 800 MW/3,200 MWh
Business model: Build, Own and Operate (BOO)
Bid submission deadline: October 30, 2026

Charging requirement: At least 51% of charging energy must come from renewable sources

Under the tender, the BESS developer will be responsible for arranging the electricity required to charge the storage system. At least 51% of the energy used for charging must be sourced from renewable energy. The Buying Entity, meanwhile, will be responsible for scheduling and drawing electricity from the BESS during the designated discharge period.

Four-Hour Discharge Schedule

The Buying Entity can schedule BESS discharge for any four-hour period beginning from 5:00 PM on a given day and ending by 11:00 AM the following day. No discharge will be scheduled between 11:00 AM and 5:00 PM.

The required discharge hours will be communicated to the SECI BESS developer a day in advance. The selected four-hour period must include at least one hour of continuous discharge, while the system will be designed to provide a maximum of four hours of discharge capacity in a single cycle.

Bid and Financial Requirements

Each bidder must submit a single bid covering a cumulative capacity of at least 50 MW/200 MWh and up to 800 MW/3,200 MWh. The tender is based on procurement of storage capacity in energy terms, with the quoted capacity corresponding to four hours of charging and four hours of discharging per cycle.

The tender requires an application fee of ₹50,000, excluding applicable GST. A bid processing fee of ₹20,000/MW, plus GST, is applicable to the quoted capacity, subject to a maximum of ₹20 lakh plus GST.

Availability Requirement

The selected BESS developer will be required to maintain a minimum monthly system availability of 85%. If the developer fails to meet the specified availability, liquidated damages will apply.

The liquidated damages will be calculated at twice the applicable PPA tariff for the discharge energy that was unavailable during the relevant month. SECI will collect the amount and subsequently remit it to the Buying Entity or entities under the Power Sale Agreement.

The tender also requires an Earnest Money Deposit of ₹7,18,400/MW/project. The EMD can be submitted through a Bank Guarantee, Payment on Order Instrument or Insurance Surety Bond along with the bid.