Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (GUVNL) has announced the results of its viability gap funding (VGF) tender for 335 MW/670 MWh standalone battery energy storage systems (BESS) (Phase-VIII). The capacities secured by the winners and the tariffs quoted by them are as follows: Advait Energy Transitions won 150 MW/300 MWh at a tariff of Rs 210,000 per MW per month, and Equentia Natural Resources DMCC won 65 MW/130 MWh at a tariff of Rs 211,999 per MW per month. Furthermore, Sun Drops Energia secured a capacity of 120 MW/240 MWh at a tariff of Rs 212,000 per MW per month under the bucket filling method.
According to the tender guidelines, the scope of work covers the design, financing, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of the project. It also covers providing operations and maintenance services for the BESS. The successful bidder must ensure that the system remains available to GUVNL for charging and discharging based on demand requirements. The BESS is required to support two charge–discharge cycles. Charging will be carried out by drawing electricity from the Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation (GETCO) network and injecting power back into the GETCO grid, in accordance with directions issued by the state load dispatch centre.
Furthermore, the projects will receive viability gap funding of Rs 1.8 million per MWh of awarded capacity, under the power system development fund. The selected bidders will sign a 12-year battery energy storage purchase agreement (BESPA). The projects are required to be commissioned within 18 months from the effective date of the BESPA. The tender was issued earlier in December 2025.
