The Solar Energy Corp. of India (SECI) has invited bids to develop 1 GW/8 GWh (1 GW x 8 hours) of pumped storage capacity across the country, aimed at providing large-scale, on-demand energy storage services to power distribution companies and other buying entities.
The projects will be implemented under a build-own-operate (BOO) model and connected to the inter-state transmission system (ISTS). Under the tender conditions, pumped storage plant developers must make the facilities available for up to two full operational cycles per day, i.e., two complete charge–discharge cycles.
Procurement under the tender will be in power (MW) terms. Developers will be responsible for installing, operating and maintaining the pumped storage plants to enable buying entities to charge and discharge the systems on an on-demand basis. Selected developers will also be responsible for land identification, project installation, ownership, grid connectivity and obtaining all statutory approvals. In addition, developers must guarantee a minimum annual system availability of 90% across the entire project capacity.
SECI will act as an intermediary nodal agency for the use of the energy storage facilities and for coordinating the charging and discharging of pumped storage plants in line with agreements with pumped storage developers and buying entities (DISCOMs). It will enter into long-term pumped storage purchase agreements (PPAs) with successful bidders, with 100% of the contracted capacity to be off-taken by the identified buying entities.
Charging and discharging of the pumped storage plants will be managed by the buying entities. The plants may be charged using any source of energy, including conventional power.
Bidders may quote a minimum cumulative capacity of 100 MW/800 MWh and a maximum of 1,000 MW/8,000 MWh, with all projects designed for eight hours of storage. Developers with existing or under-construction pumped storage projects and untied capacity are also eligible, with provisions for extended PPA tenures.
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