Coal India Issues EPC Tender for 80 MW/320 MWh Standalone Battery Storage Project in Odisha

Coal India Limited (CIL), acting on behalf of its subsidiary Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL), has formally launched the procurement phase for the turnkey Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) development of an 80 MW / 320 MWh standalone Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Odisha. The comprehensive contract covers complete facility execution alongside 15 years of comprehensive Operation and Maintenance (O&M) services. Issued under Tender Reference Number CIL/HQ/SOLAR/GRIDCO/EPC/218 (Tender ID: 2026_CILHQ_363421_1) on September 14, 2026, the tender sets the final deadline for online bid submission for October 9, 2026, at 5:00 PM IST.

The estimated project capital cost stands at ₹400 crore. This utility-scale storage procurement aligns with CIL’s strategic corporate transition away from core coal mining toward clean energy assets, directly advancing its broader corporate target of achieving 5 GW of cumulative renewable capacity by 2028–29.

Project Location & Technical Configuration

The total procurement capacity of 80 MW / 320 MWh—delivering a 4-hour continuous discharge duration—is divided equally across four designated grid substations operated by the Odisha Power Transmission Corporation Limited (OPTCL). The installations are structured into two distinct commercial and operational clusters:

The storage systems will operate under a Build-Own-Operate (BOO) asset model to provide on-demand battery capacity to GRIDCO Limited and the State Load Despatch Centre (SLDC) for peak demand management and grid integration. Land for all four sites will be allocated inside OPTCL substations on a right-to-use basis by CIL/MCL and GRIDCO/OPTCL.

CIL secured this capacity through a Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) competitive auction in March 2026, quoting capacity charges of ₹3.04 lakh/MW/month for Cluster 1 and ₹3.05 lakh/MW/month for Cluster 2, alongside ₹18 lakh/MWh in Viability Gap Funding (VGF) support. Following a Letter of Award (LoA) from GRIDCO in April 2026, CIL is governed by an overall 18-month agreement window under the Battery Energy Storage Purchase Agreement (BESPA). In contrast, the winning EPC contractor will operate under a strict 11-month project completion timeline from the date of LOA or land handover.

EPC Scope of Work & Operational Obligations

The turnkey contract integrates grid-side civil works with long-term operational guarantees across all four sub-facilities. Bidders must assume responsibility for the following core deliverables:

• Turnkey Deliverables: Full detailed engineering, site preparation, civil structural works, manufacturing, equipment procurement, installation, factory testing, and site commissioning of the complete BESS installations.
• Grid Interconnection Infrastructure: Construction of 33 kV switchyard evacuation bays (incorporating dual revenue metering) at the respective OPTCL substations, as well as laying underground (UG) cabling systems connecting the BESS plant to the Point of Interconnection.
• Operational & Performance Obligations:
  • Delivery of 15 years of comprehensive O&M services, initiating immediately post-completion of successful Performance Guarantee (PG) tests per cluster.
  • A contractually mandated minimum annual system availability guarantee of 95%.
  • In-country development of the Energy Management System (EMS) application software in India under domestic technology mandates.
  • Strict prohibition on the supply or integration of second-hand or refurbished battery cells.

Technical & Financial Eligibility Requirements

The tender utilizes a single-stage, two-part online bidding process. Bidders may participate as individual entities or via Joint Ventures (comprising up to 3 members). Purchase preferences for Class-I local suppliers apply in accordance with the Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ framework.

Prospects can qualify technically through any one of three distinct qualification pathways:

• Technical Qualification Routes (Must meet any ONE):
  • Route I (Battery Manufacturer): Must have manufactured and supplied batteries for grid-connected BESS projects with a cumulative capacity of ≥ 64 MWh, including at least one single order of ≥ 16 MWh at a single location that has been operational for ≥ 6 months prior to the bid submission deadline.
  • Route II (BESS Integrator / EPC / Developer): Must have commissioned grid-connected BESS projects with a cumulative capacity of ≥ 64 MWh, including at least one single order of ≥ 16 MWh at a single location operational for ≥ 6 months prior to the bid submission deadline (projects utilizing free-issue batteries provided by the owner are acceptable).
  • Route III (Renewable Energy EPC / Developer): Must have executed grid-connected solar PV or wind power projects with a capacity of ≥ 16 MWac at a single location under a single order within the past seven years, operational for ≥ 6 months prior to the bid deadline (projects with free-issue solar modules or wind turbines are acceptable).
• Financial Qualification Criteria:
  • Minimum Average Annual Financial Turnover: INR 119.076 crore during the last three financial years (ending March 31, 2026).
  • Minimum Net Worth: INR 59.538 crore as of March 31, 2026.
  • Earnest Money Deposit (EMD): INR 50 lakh (payable online via Net Banking, NEFT, or RTGS).

Procurement Schedule & Key Deadlines

The critical milestone timeline for the procurement process is outlined below:

> Official Bidding & Tender Access: Interested bidders can access the official tender documents and submit bids directly on the Coal India eProcurement Portal^[1].

• Tender ID: 2026_CILHQ_363421_1
• Tender Ref. No.: CIL/HQ/SOLAR/GRIDCO/EPC/218
• Bid Submission Deadline: **October 9, 2026 (5:00 PM IST)**
• Techno-Commercial Opening: October 10, 2026 (11:00 AM IST)