The Department of Power, Government of West Bengal, acting on behalf of the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL), has invited bids for a global e-tender to develop 500 MW/2,000 MWh of aggregated standalone Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). Executed under a Build-Own-Operate (BOO) model, this 2 GWh solicitation represents a significant step toward the state’s “Resource Adequacy Report FY 35-36” projections, which identify a storage requirement of 4,950 MW by 2029–30. This tender follows previous storage initiatives in the region, such as the Goaltore projects, signaling West Bengal’s transition toward a multi-GW storage framework to manage peak demand and grid volatility.
Strategic De-risking and Project Locations
The Battery Energy Storage System Developers (BESSD) will benefit from a highly structured “on-demand” model. WBSEDCL assumes the responsibility and cost for providing charging energy and scheduling dispatch, effectively insulating the developer from market-side energy price risk. Furthermore, the state has offered a substantial fiscal “sweetener”: land for the projects will be provided on a Right-To-Use (RTU) basis at a nominal annual rent of just INR 1 per project.
The total 2,000 MWh capacity is distributed across four strategic substations within the West Bengal State Electricity Transmission Company Limited (WBSETCL) network:
| Substation / Location | District | Capacity (MW/MWh) | Voltage (kV) | Land Area (Acres) | GPS Coordinates |
| DPL S/S Radhamadhabpur | Paschim Bardhaman | 200 MW / 800 MWh | 220 | 10.00 | 23°31’45.66″N, 87°18’18.47″E |
| Kharagpur S/S Dewanmara | Paschim Medinipur | 100 MW / 400 MWh | 132 | 5.25* | 22°17’52.90″N, 87°15’34.27″E |
| Hooghly-Arambag S/S Goghat | Hooghly | 100 MW / 400 MWh | 132 | 6.10* | 22°53’25.35″N, 87°43’00.24″E |
| Jeerat S/S Urala | North 24 Parganas | 100 MW / 400 MWh | 132 | 5.03 | 22°53’09.76″N, 87°32’24.81″E |
*Note: Land at Dewanmara and Goghat consists of non-continuous parcels.
Financial Obligations and Actionable Intelligence
Reflecting a modernizing trend in Indian energy procurement, the RfS explicitly permits the use of Electronic Bank Guarantees (e-BG). Bidders must also provide the following:
- Earnest Money Deposit (EMD): INR 3 Lakh per MWh (capped at INR 10 Crores).
- Performance Bank Guarantee (PBG): INR 7.5 Lakh per MWh, required seven working days prior to signing the Battery Energy Storage Purchase Agreement (BESPA).
- Alternative Instruments: Payment on Order Instruments (POI) from IREDA, REC, or PFC, or Insurance Surety Bonds from IRDAI-approved insurers are acceptable in lieu of traditional BGs.
- Non-refundable Fees: Document Fee of INR 5 Lakh (+ 18% GST) and Bid Processing Fee of INR 2,500 (+ 18% GST).
Actionable Remittance Data: Payments must be made via NEFT/RTGS to WBSEDCL at Punjab National Bank, Mayukh Bhawan Branch (Account No: 1096250031639, IFSC: PUNB0109620).
Technical Performance and Penalties
The BESSD must adhere to rigorous operational benchmarks designed to ensure long-term grid reliability:
- System Availability: A minimum monthly availability of 95% is mandated. Failure to meet this threshold triggers liquidated damages calculated at twice the Capacity Charges for the capacity not made available.
- Round-Trip Efficiency (RtE): A minimum AC-to-AC RtE of 85% must be maintained on a monthly basis. Shortfalls below 70% RtE result in the forfeiture of monthly tariff payments and additional damages.
- Discharge Duration: The system must provide a minimum of 4 hours of continuous discharge at rated power.
- Operational Cycles: The BESS must be capable of one full charge-discharge cycle per day as directed by the Area Load Dispatch Center (ALDC).
Eligibility and Execution Timeline
The tender is technology-agnostic but requires “commercially established and operational” systems. Qualifying criteria include:
- Net Worth: Minimum of INR 1 Crore per MW of quoted capacity (FY 2024-25).
- Annual Turnover: Minimum of INR 50 Lakh per MWh (FY 2024-25).
- Project Completion: The project must be commissioned within 18 months of the BESPA effective date.
- Part-Commissioning: Permitted with a minimum first installment of 50% capacity and limited to a maximum of two installments.
The BESPA duration is 15 years from the Scheduled Commissioning Date (SCD) or full project commissioning, whichever is later.
Key Bidding Milestones
Proposals must be submitted through the TCIL portal by the following deadlines:
- Last Date for Queries: March 23, 2026.
- Pre-bid Meeting: March 25, 2026, at 14:00 Hrs.
- Online Bid Submission Deadline: April 24, 2026, at 12:00 Hrs.
- Technical Bid Opening: April 24, 2026, at 14:00 Hrs.
- Financial Bid Opening: May 7, 2026, at 14:00 Hrs.
Nodal Officer for Correspondence: Shri Anjan Chakrabarti, Special Secretary, Department of Power, Govt. of West Bengal. Bidyut Unnayan Bhavan, Salt Lake City, Kolkata. Email: strategydop@gmail.com
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