Tender Overview and Strategic Integration
UJVN Limited (UJVNL) has officially invited bids for the development of a 90 MW / 225 MWh standalone Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) to be situated near the Chilla Substation in the Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand. This Stage-II project is a critical component of UJVNL’s phased storage expansion, designed to provide the utility with the ability to charge and discharge power on demand for grid stability.
A primary driver for the installation is the integration of UJVNL’s growing renewable energy portfolio, which currently includes 45.175 MW of operational Solar PV and an additional 27.75 MW under construction. The storage facility will manage the intermittency of these solar assets alongside the existing Chilla Hydro Electric Project (HEP). Prospective developers must note that the deadline for bid submission is August 25, 2026.
Project Scope and Technical Specifications
The project will be executed on a Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) basis for a contract duration of 12 years following the Commercial Operation Date (CoD). UJVNL will allot land to the successful BESS Developer (BESSD) on a right-to-use basis.
Key Technical Parameters:
- Grid Connectivity: Connection to the 132kV grid at the Chilla Substation.
- Operational Requirements: The BESSD is mandated to provide two complete operational charge-discharge cycles per day. While the current tender specifies this 2-cycle model, the Ministry of Power’s recent guideline revisions offer flexibility for 4-hour, single-cycle configurations to enhance asset longevity.
- Performance Metrics: Bidders must guarantee a minimum annual system availability of 95%.
- Transmission Infrastructure: The developer is responsible for the design and installation of the dedicated transmission network up to the interconnection point.
- Project Completion: The targeted commissioning date for the system is September 2027.
Financial Framework: VGF and Bidding Costs
The financial structure involves a mix of funded and non-funded capacities. Of the total 225 MWh capacity, 60 MWh is eligible for Viability Gap Funding (VGF) at a rate of INR 18 lakh/MWh through the Power System Development Fund (PSDF). The remaining 165 MWh must be developed on a non-VGF basis.
The tender’s estimated value is INR 352.30 crore, though UJVNL’s internal project budget for the Chilla site is pegged at approximately INR 415.71 crore, likely accounting for total lifecycle costs and contingencies.
Bidding Fees and Securities:
| Item | Requirement (INR) |
| Tender Document Fee | 5,000 + GST |
| Processing Fee | 13.50 Lakh + GST |
| Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) | 4.50 Crore |
| Performance Security | 12.5 Lakh per MW |
| Estimated Tender Value | 352.30 Crore |
The ceiling tariff for this procurement is set at INR 3,18,401/MW/month (inclusive of GST), as discovered through the competitive bidding process.
Bidder Eligibility and Qualifying Criteria
UJVNL has defined three distinct technical paths for qualification, ensuring that only experienced participants engage in the rollout.
Technical Eligibility (Must meet one of the following):
- OEM/Manufacturing: The bidder must be an OEM or have an Indian manufacturing license with experience supplying at least 100 MWh of containerized BESS, including at least one 45 MWh commissioned project.
- Project Commissioning: Direct experience in commissioning a 45 MWh standalone/co-located BESS or cumulative renewable projects totaling 45 MW (with at least one 25 MW project operational for six months).
- EPC Experience: A track record in designing and constructing 33 kV to 400 kV substations with a cumulative value of at least INR 40 crore over the last seven years.
Financial Threshold: Bidders must demonstrate a Net Worth equal to or greater than INR 74 lakh/MW as of the end of FY26 or within seven days prior to the bid deadline.
Procurement Timeline
- RFP/Publish Date: August 4, 2026
- Bid Submission Deadline: August 25, 2026
- Techno-Commercial Bid Opening: August 28, 2026
- BESPA Signing: Within 30 days of Letter of Intent (LoI) or Letter of Award (LoA) issuance.
The official portal for accessing tenders issued by UJVN Limited (UJVNL), the authority responsible for this project, is:
- Official UJVNL Tender Portal: https://ujvnl.com/view-tenders
For direct access to the specific project details, technical specifications, and key dates for the 90 MW/225 MWh BESS tender near the Chilla Substation, the following project-specific link is available in the sources:
- Specific Tender Detail Link: https://www.tenderkings.com/tender/setting-up-of-mw-mwh-battery-energy-garhwal-tenders-20610733
Bidders are typically required to sign up on the relevant procurement platform to download the full set of official documents, such as the Tender Notice and Request for Proposal (RfP). As per the sources, the bid submission deadline for this specific project is August 25, 2026.
Regulatory Context and Industry Insight
This tender follows a significant ruling by the Uttarakhand Electricity Regulatory Commission (UERC), which rejected UJVNL’s petition to restore previous benchmark capacity charges. The commission mandated that tariffs for VGF-backed projects be discovered via competitive bidding to ensure price transparency.
The project also benefits from the Ministry of Power’s Second Tranche of the VGF scheme, which allocated INR 5,400 crore to support 30 GWh of BESS capacity nationwide. Industry experts, including Debmalya Sen, President of the India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA), have noted that the Ministry’s move to allow 4-hour configurations provides essential flexibility for DISCOMs to utilize partial cycles or broken-down discharges, significantly improving the commercial viability of storage in mountainous regions like Uttarakhand.
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