NTPC Renewable Energy Limited (NTPC REL) has invited international competitive bids for the development of a large-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at its Bikaner Solar Power Plant in Rajasthan. The proposed project involves setting up a 250 megawatt (MW) / 1,000 megawatt-hour (MWh) grid-connected BESS under an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract.
The project is designed with a four-hour discharge cycle and will be implemented on a complete turnkey basis, aimed at enhancing grid reliability, managing renewable intermittency, and supporting India’s growing renewable energy penetration. The selected contractor will be responsible for the full scope of work, including system design, detailed engineering, supply of equipment, installation, testing, and commissioning.
In addition to construction and commissioning, the successful bidder will also undertake comprehensive operation and maintenance (O&M) of the battery storage system for a period of 15 years. NTPC REL has specified that the system must be designed for an operational life of 25 years and be capable of achieving at least 10,000 charge-discharge cycles, underscoring its focus on long-term performance, durability, and asset reliability.
To qualify for the tender, bidders must meet defined technical and financial criteria. Technically, participants should have prior experience in manufacturing or commissioning grid-connected BESS projects with a cumulative capacity of at least 80 MWh. Financially, bidders must demonstrate an average annual turnover of not less than ₹1,530 million over the past three financial years.
In a move to broaden industry participation, particularly considering the current stage of domestic battery manufacturing, the Ministry of Power has granted a one-year registration waiver for bidders deploying lithium-ion battery technology. This measure is expected to attract wider participation, including companies dependent on imported lithium-ion systems.
The bidding process will follow a single-stage, two-envelope evaluation mechanism, followed by a reverse auction to determine the final price. Interested bidders are required to register on the ETS portal and submit a signed Non-Disclosure Agreement to access detailed tender documents.
According to the tender timeline, the Invitation for Bids (IFB) was issued on February 6, 2026. Bid documents will be available from February 12 to February 23, 2026, while the pre-bid meeting and deadline for submission of technical queries is scheduled for February 25, 2026. The last date for submission of techno-commercial and financial bids is March 11, 2026, with bid opening scheduled later the same day.
As part of the financial requirements, Indian bidders must submit an earnest money deposit of ₹20 crore, while foreign bidders are required to provide a bid security of USD 2.17 million. The successful bidder will also be required to furnish a performance bank guarantee as stipulated in the tender conditions.
