NTPC is investing ₹5,000 crore in battery storage systems to capture excess solar and wind power and improve grid efficiency.
NTPC has begun installing 5 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of battery energy storage systems at its coal-fired power plants, with an investment of around ₹5,000 crore, as it looks to reduce renewable energy curtailment, according to Economic Times.
The battery systems are being co-located with thermal power units to absorb excess solar and wind power that would otherwise go unused. The move is aimed at improving grid stability while enabling better integration of renewable energy.
The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has approved a cost-plus tariff structure for these projects, allowing NTPC to recover fixed charges and returns regardless of plant utilisation.
“The thermal fleets will have to be supported for a technical minimum because below this, it becomes increasingly infeasible,” said Jaikumar Srinivasan, Director (Finance), NTPC.
He added, “So, 5 GWh of battery work has already started, and CERC has given its tariff framework for this.”
The move comes as renewable energy curtailment continues to rise in India’s power sector. NTPC Green Energy recorded 314 million units of curtailed renewable energy during the year, along with 135 million units of transmission-related losses.
The project highlights the growing role of battery storage in balancing renewable generation and improving power system efficiency.
