Power Grid Corporation of India (POWERGRID) has floated two tenders for engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of standalone battery energy storage systems (BESS) of 187.5 MW/750 MWh each at two of Transmission Corporation of Telangana’s (TGTRANSCO) Maheswaram and Choutuppal substations in Telangana.

The last date to submit bids is January 21, 2026. Bids will be opened on the same day.

Bidders must submit an earnest money deposit of ₹25,000 (~$275) for each tender.

Last year, Telangana Power Generation Corporation (TGGENCO) invited bids to set up 375 MW/1,500 MWh standalone battery energy storage systems (BESS).

POWERGRID intends to participate in the tender, and if it wins, the successful bidder will execute the project in association with POWERGRID.

Selected bidders must not participate in the tender as a bidding company, directly or indirectly through their subsidiaries, partnerships, ownership, individual firm, or through a consortium.

They will sign a memorandum of understanding with POWERGRID for the EPC of cumulative 375 MW/1,500 MWh standalone BESS projects.

The project’s scope covers the setting up of standalone BESS systems at selected TGTRANSSCO substations in Telangana, including the power conversion system (PCS), PCS transformers, and interconnection with the 33 kV MV busbar.

It also covers comprehensive operation and maintenance for 15 months.

The projects must be completed within 15 months.

According to the TGGENCO tender, the BESS must be designed for one full operational cycle per day, i.e., one complete charge-discharge cycle lasting 4 hours.

The BESS must guarantee a minimum system availability of 95% on an annual basis and an AC-to-AC round-trip efficiency of 85% on a monthly basis, excluding auxiliary consumption.

Successful bidders must take a separate metered connection from the distribution companies or draw power from an interconnection point for the BESS’s auxiliary power load.

The projects will also receive viability gap funding (VGF) of ₹1.8 million (~$20,186)/MWh of the awarded capacity. The VGF will be disbursed in three tranches: 20% at financial closure, 50% at commercial operation date (COD), and 30% a year post-COD upon certification.
Successful bidders must use only commercially established and operational technologies to minimize technology risk and achieve timely commissioning of the projects.

Last year, POWERGRID also invited bids to select a consortium partner to set up 1,000 MW/2,000 MWh of standalone BESS across seven substations in Andhra Pradesh.