Public sector hydroelectric power generator and utility NHPC India has floated a solar-plus-storage tender, aiming to procure 1.2GW of solar PV capacity along with 600MW/2,400MWh of energy storage.
Applicants have until April 24 to submit bids, and the selected projects will enter into a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with NHPC India. Each project must have a minimum solar capacity of 50MW and an energy storage component of at least 25MW/100MWh. The tender mandates a 2:1 ratio of solar PV output to storage, ensuring four-hour discharge at full capacity.
For projects in north-eastern and ‘special’ category states, which receive additional government subsidies for rooftop PV, the minimum project size is reduced to 30MW of solar and 15MW/60MWh of storage.
NHPC India has specified that the tender is technology-agnostic, allowing the use of crystalline silicon and thin-film solar PV technologies, provided they are commercially established. Developers may also propose projects with or without trackers.
Bidders will be responsible for securing local government approvals and constructing dedicated transmission networks to connect their projects to India’s Inter State Transmission System (ISTS).
India’s Growing Renewable Energy Push
India’s renewable energy sector is rapidly expanding, with 25.2GW of new solar PV capacity added in 2024—a 204% year-on-year increase—accounting for nearly 75% of all new power capacity additions. To support its target of 500GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030, the Indian government plans to invest $29.2 billion in grid expansion.
This solar-plus-storage initiative by NHPC India is expected to enhance grid stability and energy reliability, reinforcing India’s commitment to clean energy adoption and large-scale renewable deployment.
