SECI is seeking developers for 800 MW of standalone battery storage capacity to be located anywhere in India 
BESS developers will be required to handle land, installation, ownership, grid connectivity, approvals, and O&M 
The agency has also invited bids for the development of a 60 MW AC solar PV project in Bihar 
The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued two tenders covering 800 MW/3,200 MWh of standalone battery energy storage capacity and a 60 MW AC ISTS-connected solar PV project in Gaya, Bihar. 
SECI issued the SECI-ESS-IV tender on October 1, 2026, seeking Battery Energy Storage System Developers (BESSD) to supply energy from 800 MW/3,200 MWh of standalone BESS capacity in India. 
The tender covers 3,200 MWh of storage capacity against 800 MW of power capacity, equivalent to four hours of discharge at full output. Projects can be located anywhere in India, with a minimum project size of 50 MW/200 MWh. A single bidder can be awarded up to the maximum cumulative capacity specified under the tender. 
SECI will leave land acquisition, project installation and ownership, grid connectivity, statutory approvals, interconnection, and O&M with the BESS developer. The tender terms require that at least 51% of electricity used to charge the BESS comes from renewable energy sources. The developer will supply the discharged energy to the buying entity.  
Launched under tariff-based competitive bidding, the tender seeks energy supply on an ‘on-demand’ basis. The tender will be conducted through an online bidding process followed by an e-reverse auction. 
SECI has set the online bid submission deadline for October 30, 2026, while the offline submission deadline is November 3, 2026. Bids are scheduled to be opened on November 4, 2026. 
The 60 MW AC solar PV tender for the ground-mounted solar PV plant will be conducted through a single-stage, two-envelope bidding process followed by an e-reverse auction. 
The broad scope of work requires design, engineering, supply, construction, erection, testing, and commissioning of the ISTS-connected solar PV power plant at Gaya, Bihar. The winning bidder will be responsible for five years of comprehensive operation and maintenance (O&M) post-commissioning. 
SECI specifies domestic-content requirements for the tender, requiring both solar cells and modules to be manufactured in India and sourced from manufacturers included in the MNRE’s Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM). 
Launched on September 30, 2026, the online bid submission deadline for this tender is November 12, 2026, followed by an offline submission deadline of November 16, 2026. Bids are scheduled to be opened on November 17, 2026. SECI has also scheduled a joint site visit for October 15, 2026. 
TaiyangNews 2024

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