SECI Floats Massive 4 GW / 16 GWh BESS Tender in Rajasthan and Gujarat

one of India’s largest energy storage rollouts, SECI floats a 16 GWh BESS tender backed by ₹2,400 crore VGF—here is the complete breakdown of packages, eligibility, and bidding limits

India’s premier Navratna Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU) under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), dedicated to driving India’s clean energy transition, The Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI) has invited bids to develop 4,000 MW/16,000 MWh of standalone Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in Rajasthan and Gujarat, with central financial assistance of ₹2,400 crore envisaged under the tender.

This SECI tender seeks to select Battery Energy Storage System Developers (BESSDs) through tariff-based competitive bidding followed by an electronic reverse auction (e-RA). The selected projects will supply stored electricity to designated buying entities on an on-demand basis, supporting power availability during non-solar hours.

Tender Divided into Two Packages

SECI has divided the total procurement into two packages. Package I covers 2.5 GW/10 GWh of standalone BESS capacity in Rajasthan, while Package II covers 1.5 GW/6 GWh in Gujarat.

Developers can submit bids for either package or both, subject to the tender’s eligibility conditions and capacity allocation limits. The minimum project capacity is 50 MW/200 MWh. The maximum capacity that can be allocated to a bidder group is 625 MW/2,500 MWh in Rajasthan and 375 MW/1,500 MWh in Gujarat.

This SECI tender requires a four-hour storage configuration, with every 1 MW of contracted power capacity corresponding to 4 MWh of energy capacity.

Developers to Manage Project Development and Charging

Under the Request for Selection (RfS), selected BESS developers will be responsible for identifying land, installing and owning the storage systems, obtaining grid connectivity, securing statutory approvals, and managing operations and maintenance.

This SECI tender is technology-agnostic, provided the proposed systems meet the specified technical and performance requirements.

Developers must arrange charging electricity at their own cost and risk, with at least 51% of the energy used for charging procured from renewable energy sources. The buying entities will schedule discharge on an on-demand basis, including during designated non-solar hours.

The developer must provide the contracted discharge capability for the selected four-hour window, subject to the tender’s scheduling and performance provisions.

₹2,400 Crore in Viability Gap Funding Envisaged

The tender provides for central financial assistance of ₹15 lakh per MWh, amounting to ₹2,400 crore for the full 16 GWh capacity. The assistance is intended to support project implementation, although the detailed VGF scheme orders and implementation provisions are to be communicated separately.

The financial requirements include an Earnest Money Deposit of ₹7.184 lakh per MW and a Performance Bank Guarantee of ₹17.96 lakh per MW. Successful developers must also pay success charges of ₹1 lakh per MWh, plus applicable taxes, and furnish a Payment Security Deposit of ₹5 lakh per MWh before commissioning the first part of the project.

Performance, Grid Connectivity and Project Timeline

The selected developers must maintain minimum monthly system availability of 85%. The tender specifies liquidated damages for availability shortfalls, making system reliability and maintenance critical to project economics.

Developers will also be responsible for grid connectivity and associated transmission infrastructure up to the delivery point, in accordance with applicable regulations. Projects must comply with relevant Central Electricity Authority safety requirements and other applicable grid standards.

The scheduled commencement of supply for the full project capacity is specified as 12 months from the effective date of the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). The PPA is set to remain valid for 20 years from the scheduled commissioning date or full commissioning date, whichever is later, as stated in the RfS.

Bid Submission Schedule

The online bid submission deadline is November 19, 2026, at 6:00 PM, while offline submissions must be completed by November 23, 2026, at 6:00 PM. Bids are scheduled to open on November 24, 2026, at 10:00 AM.

The tender creates an opportunity for storage developers, renewable-energy companies and battery-system integrators to participate in India’s expanding utility-scale energy storage market. However, project viability will depend on charging-energy costs, battery performance, financing, grid connectivity and compliance with the tender’s contractual requirements.