Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (GUVNL) has completed the auction for 450 MW / 900 MWh of standalone Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capacity under Phase IX, with the entire capacity awarded to two developers.
NLC India Renewables Ltd. secured 275 MW / 550 MWh at a tariff of ₹2,31,989/MW/month, while Sun Drops Energia Limited was awarded 175 MW / 350 MWh at ₹2,31,990/MW/month.
The auction was conducted under the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) framework, with a reserve tariff of ₹2,60,000/MW/month. The winning bids represent a tariff of approximately ₹2.32 lakh/MW/month.
The projects will operate as 2-hour standalone BESS systems under a 12-year Battery Energy Storage Purchase Agreement (BESPA). The scheme provides ₹18 lakh/MWh in VGF support, while projects must maintain a minimum annual availability of 95% and monthly AC-to-AC round-trip efficiency of 85%.
The auction adds another important data point to India’s emerging utility-scale BESS market, where battery storage is becoming increasingly important for renewable energy integration, peak-load management and grid flexibility.
With the entire 450 MW / 900 MWh capacity awarded, the GUVNL Phase IX auction also provides a useful benchmark for the evolving economics of standalone energy storage in India.
Key Highlights
🔋 450 MW / 900 MWh total BESS capacity
💰 ₹2.32 lakh/MW/month winning tariff
🏆 2 developers awarded the full capacity
⚡ 2-hour standalone BESS configuration
📜 12-year BESPA
💵 ₹18 lakh/MWh VGF support
📊 95% minimum annual availability
🔄 85% minimum monthly round-trip efficiency
