NTPC Green Energy Issues EPC Tender for 800 MW / 3,200 MWh BESS at Fatehgarh Solar Plant

NTPC Green Energy Limited (NGEL), the renewable energy arm of India’s largest power utility, has invited bids for the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) of a massive 800 MW / 3,200 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). To be integrated at the NTPC REL Fatehgarh Solar Plant in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, the project represents a significant step toward NTPC’s “Diversified Growth” strategy, which targets 60 GW of renewable capacity and 22 GWh of energy storage by 2032. The tender follows a Single Stage Two Envelope bidding process, which will culminate in a Reverse Auction to determine the final award.

Project Configuration and Structure

The project is divided into three distinct blocks, with the battery storage systems integrated at the 33 kV level of designated solar plants. The total deliverable capacity for the package is 800 MW / 3,200 MWh, structured as follows:

• Block-1: 300 MW / 1,200 MWh capacity at NTPC REL Fatehgarh, Rajasthan.
• Block-2: 300 MW / 1,200 MWh capacity at NTPC REL Fatehgarh, Rajasthan.
• Block-3: 200 MW / 800 MWh capacity at NTPC REL Fatehgarh, Rajasthan.

Technical Requirements and Sizing Mandates

Bidders must adhere to stringent technical standards designed to ensure long-term grid reliability and system durability:

• 110% Sizing Rule: A critical technical requirement stipulates that the minimum nameplate rated installed capacity for each block must be at least 110% of the rated MWh capacity mentioned above.
• Lifecycle Standards: The BESS and its battery systems must have a 25-year design life based on daily single-cycle operation. Batteries must be rated for a minimum of 10,000 cycles.
• Performance Guarantees:
  • Dispatchable Capacity: 100% of the rated capacity at the Commercial Operation Date (CoD), maintaining 95% during the first year, and at least 92% throughout the 15-year operational term.
  • Round-Trip Efficiency (RTE): A minimum monthly RTE of 80%, inclusive of auxiliary consumption.
  • Availability: Annual availability must be maintained at 98%.
• Loss Accounting: Bidders must account for specific losses beyond the termination point and up to the Point of Interconnection (POI) in their sizing: 1% for Power Transformer losses and 0.25% for Transmission Line losses.

Scope of Services and Operational Responsibilities

The EPC contractor will handle the project on a turnkey basis, covering design, engineering, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning. This includes the configuration of an Energy Management System (EMS) and integration with the existing solar infrastructure and utility grid.

Specific technical responsibilities include required bus extension work and integration into the 33 kV pooling switchgear of each designated solar plant. The contractor must also conduct a comprehensive grid compliance study for the entire system (Solar + BESS + Power Evacuation).

Following commissioning, the bidder is responsible for 15 years of comprehensive Operation & Maintenance (O&M). Notably, the scope includes responsibility for standby auxiliary consumption during non-solar hours and any applicable Deviation Settlement Mechanism (DSM) charges attributable to the bidder, factors essential for assessing the project’s long-term operational cost structure.

Bidding Timeline and Administrative Details

The procurement is being conducted as a domestic competitive bidding process. Key administrative details are summarized below: