India launched a new major tender for battery storage of 800 MW/3200 MWh, a call with which the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) seeks to incorporate independent BESS systems capable of delivering energy for four hours at full power.
The SECI-ESS-IV tender, published on October 1, 2026, will allow projects to be installed anywhere in India , with a minimum capacity per initiative of 50 MW/200 MWh .
The scheme leaves much of the development in the hands of the winning bidder. Each developer will be responsible for the land, installation, asset ownership, grid connection, permits, interconnection, operation, and maintenance of the system.
One of the key requirements will be the origin of the energy used to charge the batteries: at least 51% must come from renewable sources . Subsequently, the discharged electricity will be supplied to the purchasing entity under the terms of the tender.
The contract will be awarded through a competitive process based on rates, with an initial stage of online bid submission followed by a reverse electronic auction .
The format repositions standalone storage as a specific tool within the expansion of the Indian electricity system, separating it from hybrid projects where batteries are directly associated with a solar or wind power plant.
Furthermore, the scale of the call is significant: the 3.2 GWh of energy capacity will allow the 800 MW to be discharged for four consecutive hours at maximum power.
This design aims to provide manageable capacity to the system and allow stored energy to be delivered when demand or network operating conditions require it.
Offers valid until the end of October
SECI set October 30, 2026 as the deadline for submitting online bids, while offline documentation can be submitted until November 3 .
The opening of proposals is scheduled for November 4, 2026 .
Participants will be able to compete with individual projects of 50 MW/200 MWh, while a single bidder may be awarded additional capacity up to the maximum cumulative amount established by the bidding rules.
The storage tender was published almost simultaneously with another SECI process to develop a 60 MW AC photovoltaic plant in Gaya, Bihar , although these are independent procedures.
In this second case, the selected company will be responsible for the design, engineering, supply, construction, assembly, testing and commissioning, in addition to five years of operation and maintenance.
The solar tender also incorporates national content requirements: both the cells and the modules must be manufactured in India and come from manufacturers included in the list of models and suppliers approved by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
However, in terms of volume and backup capacity, the main movement is in storage.
With 800 MW and 3.2 GWh up for grabs , SECI is once again bringing a large-scale battery tender to market, featuring standalone projects, four hours of battery life, and an explicit renewable charging requirement that links storage growth to the expansion of new clean generation in India.