Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam (RVUNL) has issued a request for selection to set up 1,000 MW/2,000 MWh standalone battery energy storage systems (BESS) at six locations in the state.

The projects will receive viability gap funding support from the Ministry of Power.

The projects will be in the following locations:

• Chattargarh, Bikaner, with a capacity of 200 MW/400 MWh
• Bandu, Bikaner, with a capacity of 200 MW/400 MWh
• Pugal, Bikaner, with a capacity of 100 MW/400 MWh
• Bhawad, Jodhpur, with a capacity of 300 MW/600 MWh
• Bap, Jodhpur, with a capacity of 100 W/ 200 MWh
• Palli, Jodhpur, with a capacity of 100 MW/200 MWh

Bids must be submitted by August 4, 2025. Bids will be opened on August 5.

Bidders must furnish an earnest money deposit of ₹210,000 (~$2,420.74)/MWh, a tender processing fee of ₹2,500 (~$28.81) plus 18% GST, and a tender document fee of ₹500,000 (~$5,762.93) plus 18% GST.

Selected bidders must submit a performance bank guarantee of ₹520,000 (~$5,994.2)/MWh.

Apart from setting up the BESS, the scope of work entails making the storage facility available to RVUNL for its on-demand charging and discharging. The BESS’ charging and discharging schedule will be under the scope of RVUNL or the Rajasthan Urja Vikas and IT Services.

The BESS will be charged by power from the Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Prasaran Nigam.

The scope also involves setting up a BESS interconnection with the state transmission unit network.

Selected bidders must bear the entire cost of the project construction, up to and including the interconnection point, which includes but is not limited to transmission lines, bay connection, and bus bar extension/augmentation. They must also bear the cost of protection relay augmentation, including protection and control panels, maintenance, and delivery.

Successful bidders must also obtain all the project consents, clearances, and clearances. They must also provide operation and maintenance services.

RVUNL may allot project land on actual charges. Selected bidders can also arrange land themselves. In such cases, RVUNL will assist the bidders with land identification and acquisition.

The tender is battery technology agnostic. However, only commercially established and operational technologies must be used to minimize technology risks and achieve timely project commissioning.

Each bidder will be allotted a maximum capacity of 250 MW/500 MWh.

Bidders, including their parent, affiliate, ultimate parent, or group company, must submit a single bid offering a project capacity. This bid must be for either one or multiple projects of the capacity to be allotted to each bidder.

Bidders must have a minimum net worth of ₹2 million (~$23,054.62)/MWh of the quoted capacity as of the end of the preceding financial year on the bid opening date.

Recently, HPCL Renewable and Green Energy, a subsidiary of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation, invited bids for the engineering, procurement, and construction of a 5 MW/10 MWh BESS project at Nachna Reservoir in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district.

In May, the Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission mandated BESS for captive power projects with contract demand exceeding 100%. The BESS must be capable of storing at least 20% of the energy generated by the additional capacity.