NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN), a wholly-owned subsidiary of NTPC, is set to begin commercial operations of 500 MWh of battery energy storage capacity soon, as India accelerates the build-out of infrastructure designed to manage peak electricity demand and integrate renewable power.
NVVN Chief Executive Officer Somes Bandyopadhyay announced the plan on Thursday while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the 18th India Coal Summit, organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce. He said the company also aimed to commission an additional 500 MWh during the current financial year.
“Very soon we will be able to put 500 MWh BESS in commercial operation and target to commission a further 500 MWh by this financial year,” Bandyopadhyay said.
Battery Energy Storage Systems, or BESS, store electricity in batteries and release it when required. The systems can charge during periods of lower electricity demand or when renewable generation is high, and supply power during peak-demand periods. This makes them an important part of efforts to improve grid reliability as electricity systems absorb more variable renewable generation.
Bandyopadhyay said the government had provided NVVN with a scheme covering 3,000 MWh. “The government has provided us with a scheme for 3,000 MWh. So in that way, we are into battery energy storage through different modes,” he said.
The proposed 500 MWh commercial capacity is part of NVVN’s wider work on large-scale battery storage systems across India. The company is engaged in developing such systems for utilities, with the stated objective of helping them manage periods when electricity demand rises sharply and when renewable power availability changes.
For electricity networks, storage capacity is distinct from generation capacity. A battery system does not produce electricity; instead, it stores power and makes it available at another time. Its usefulness depends on when it is charged, when it is dispatched and how it is integrated with the broader grid and utility operations.
The announcement also signals the expanding role of storage in India’s power infrastructure. As renewable generation grows, battery systems can provide a way to shift electricity from periods of surplus or lower demand to periods when the grid needs additional supply. The supplied information does not specify the locations, technology configuration, discharge duration, project costs or individual utility arrangements for NVVN’s planned capacity.
NVVN’s immediate milestone is the start of commercial operations for the first 500 MWh. The company’s next stated target is to commission another 500 MWh by the end of the current financial year, while its broader activity is linked to the government’s 3,000 MWh storage scheme.
