New Delhi
NLC India Renewables Limited (NIRL), a part of NLC India Limited under the Ministry of Coal, has won a major 500 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project in Tamil Nadu. This project, awarded by Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation Limited (TNGECL), will be built at three key substations in Ottapidaram, Annpankulam, and Kayathar.
The BESS projects, totaling 250 MW / 500 MWh, will follow a Build-Own-Operate (BOO) model. They were awarded through a tariff-based competitive process under the State Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme. Tamil Nadu’s power utility, TNPDCL, will purchase energy storage services through a 12-year Battery Energy Storage Purchase Agreement (BESPA).
This marks NLC’s first large-scale battery project and a big step in its clean energy journey. The storage system will help Tamil Nadu handle peak electricity demand, keep the grid stable, and make better use of solar and wind energy. It supports the shift from fossil fuels to greener power sources.
Earlier, NLC had installed an 8 MWh battery system in Andaman linked to a 20 MW solar plant. That effort reduced diesel use and improved energy reliability.
NLC plans to reach 10 GW renewable capacity by 2030. CMD Prasanna Kumar Motupalli said this project shows NLC’s growth from a coal-based company to a clean energy leader.
India is pushing for greener energy to cut emissions. At COP26, the country pledged to reach 500 GW non-fossil capacity, cut emissions by 1 billion tonnes, and aim for net-zero emissions by 2070.