NTPC REL Floats EPC Tender for 250 MW/1,000 MWh BESS Project at Bikaner Solar Plant

A latest EPC tender issued by NTPC Renewable Energy Limited (NTPC REL) aims to develop a 1 GWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at its Bikaner Solar Plant, involving the installation of a 250 MW/1,000 MWh energy storage project.

Under the scope of work, the project will offer single-cycle energy with a four-hour discharge at the Bikaner Solar Plant. Bids for the project have been invited from February 12, 2026, to February 23, 2026.

Bidders are required to consider the auxiliary consumption of the BESS plant during discharge while determining the discharge capacity of the BESS plant. The BESS project design life would be 25 years from the date of commissioning, with degraded capacity as per the bidder’s proposal, considering daily single-cycle operation. Additionally, the project offers batteries with a minimum rated life of 10,000 operating cycles.

Bidders are required to guarantee a minimum of 92% dispatchable capacity at the point of interconnection (POI) across all 15 years, starting with 100% of rated dispatchable capacity at the Commercial Operation Date (CoD) and 95% in the first year. 

Scope of Work

The project also includes comprehensive operations and maintenance (O&M), including the associated warranty, annual maintenance contract (Service Level Agreement), and insurance of the BESS for a period of 15 years, all of which shall be within the scope of the bidder.

The bidder should have manufactured and supplied batteries with a cumulative capacity of at least 80.0 MWh for grid-interactive battery energy storage systems, out of which at least one supply order must be of a minimum capacity of 20 MWh.  The reference grid-interactive battery energy storage system, is expected to have been supplied in a single order, must have been in successful operation for a minimum of six months prior to the date of techno-commercial bid opening.

The bidder must have at least one year of experience in industrial projects outside the renewable energy sector, such as solar or wind. Along this, they are also required to have at least six months of experience in developing projects in the renewable energy sector. 

Bikaner in Rajasthan is witnessing a surge in solar projects, with companies such as NLC India commissioning its 300 MW Barsingsar Solar Project and SJVN achieving the Commercial Operation Date (CoD) for its 1 GW Bikaner Solar Power Project.

To store excess generation through battery energy storage systems (BESS), Bikaner is now pushing for storage projects to meet its growing energy requirements.