Reliance Power's Subsidiary Bags 930 MW Solar and 465 MW Battery Energy Storage Projects

Reliance Power announced on Tuesday that its subsidiary, Reliance NU Suntech, has secured a massive solar project of 930 MW and a 465 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) project from the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI). This marks the second largest deployment of grid storage batteries at a single site in Asia, following China, as per a company statement.

The project, awarded through a Letter of Award from SECI, is set to provide a competitive tariff with an assured supply of peak power for four hours daily, offering relief to DISCOMs that have been forced to buy power from exchanges at the capped rate of Rs 10 per unit during peak hours. Reliance NU Suntech won the 930 MW solar energy contract in an e-reverse auction held on December 9, 2024.

As part of the tender terms, Reliance NU Suntech will also install a minimum storage capacity of 465 MW/1,860 MWh, charged by solar power. This project represents the largest individual allocation among five companies vying for a total quoted capacity of 2,000 MW of Inter State Transmission System (ISTS) connected solar power projects with 1,000 MW/4,000 MWh energy storage systems.

SECI will enter into a 25-year power purchase agreement with Reliance NU Suntech, with the solar power to be sold to multiple discoms across India. The project will be developed on a build-own-operate basis by Reliance Power, one of India's leading private sector power generation companies, which currently operates a portfolio of 5,300 MW, including the world's largest integrated coal-based power plant, Sasan Power Ltd (3,960 MW).