West Bengal Floats 250 MW BESS Tender With 4-Hr Storage, Greenshoe Option

The West Bengal Power Department has issued a tender for a 250 MW/1,000 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) with a greenshoe option under the Build, Own, and Operate (BOO) model, seeking bids for the project on November 14, 2025.

Earlier this year, in August, West Bengal entered the battery storage space with the launch of the region’s first standalone 40 MW/80 MWh BESS by Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC). 

The second BESS tender by the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited( WBSEDCL) aims to select a Battery Energy Storage System Developer for the continuous supply of a rated capacity of 1,000 MWh (250 MW x 4 hours) Battery Energy Storage System with a distribution network at Goaltore Substation, Goaltore, Bandhi, Paschim Midnapore, West Bengal 721128, for “on-demand” usage under tariff-based competitive bidding.

The company will enter into a Battery Energy Storage Purchase Agreement (BESPA) to develop the project, for 15 years from the scheduled commercial operation date (SCD) or the date of full commissioning of the project, whichever is earlier.

Scope of Work

The BESS tender specifies 1,000 MWh (250 MW x 4 hours) enabling 1 cycle of charging and discharging operation of the BESS at the specified location.

These developments reflect the next course in West Bengal’s energy planning strategy—integrating Energy Storage Systems (ESS) with existing and upcoming renewable energy (RE) capacity to optimize the generation mix while enhancing the utilization of transmission infrastructure in the state.

Following the completion of the bidding process, the BESS developer, with the availability of any Viability Gap Funding (VGF) amount, can agree to reduce the winning bid value by Rs. 0.40 lakh/MW/month for payments during actual power delivery to WBSEDCL. 

About The Tender

For the 250 MW project capacity, the maximum number of instalments in which the project can be commissioned will not exceed two—an initial instalment of 125 MW (500 MWh) and a subsequent instalment of 125 MW (500 MWh).

• Unit–1 (125 MW) commissioned within 4.5 months (four months and fifteen days) from the date of financial closure, 
• Unit–2 (125 MW) will be commissioned within the subsequent 4.5 months from the commissioning of Unit–1.

This project aligns with the state's Resource Adequacy Plan, which projects a major ramp-up in BESS capacity, from zero at present to 1,590 MW by 2030. It plans further ramp up capacity to 3,219 MW by 2034–35, which will play a pivotal role in balancing the grid, mitigating the intermittency of solar and wind power, and ensuring a reliable supply during peak demand, especially in non-solar hours.

According to the Resource Adequacy Report, the state’s total projected storage requirement is 2,990 MW by 2029–30, of which 54% will be met through BESS and 46% through Pumped Storage Plants (PSP). By 2034–35, the requirement is expected to rise to 5,119 MW, with nearly 63% fulfilled through BESS and the remaining 37% through PSP.