UP plans ₹ 5,525-crore battery storage projects at six locations to manage peak electricity demand. UPRVUNL managing director Mayur Maheshwari said, “The battery systems will help bridge this gap by storing electricity.” These projects will store surplus power during the day and release it when demand rises at night.
“Commissioned by us, a feasibility study by the Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, has identified the storage potential which could help the state manage peak electricity demand, improve power availability during evening and night, and reduce dependence on costly power purchases from the market,” UPRVUNL managing director Mayur Maheshwari said.
BESS works like a giant rechargeable battery, storing surplus electricity when available and releasing it when needed if demand rises and available power falls short of the requirement. An inverter converts the stored energy into grid-compatible electricity for supply to the grid.
Prior to the advent of BESS technology, there was no way to store electricity which had to be consumed as and when it was generated.
The proposed projects seek to address the mismatch between power availability and demand in the state. During the day, when solar power is also available, electricity availability usually exceeds demand. The situation changes in the evening and at night when demand peaks, solar generation is unavailable and available power falls short of the requirement, especially in summers.
“The battery systems will help bridge this gap by storing electricity generated by the thermal stations and, when available, solar power, for use during peak-demand hours,” Maheshwari explained, adding “This will help make better use of electricity available during the day and provide an additional source of supply when demand rises.”
The proposed storage capacity includes 500 MW at Anpara, 100 MW at Obra, 150 MW each at Harduaganj, Panki and Parichha. Jawaharpur in Etah has the largest identified potential at 3,200 MW. Together, the six locations account for 4,250 MW of storage capacity.
The estimated total investment is ₹5,525 crore, including ₹4,160 crore for the Jawaharpur installation.
Maheshwari said that the existing and identified thermal power station sites had land, switchyard and power evacuation infrastructure that could facilitate the development of battery storage facilities.
The systems are proposed to use Lithium iron Phosphate (LFP) battery technology with liquid cooling. The specified storage duration is four hours with a single cycle. The estimated cost is ₹1.25 crore to ₹1.3 crore per MW, while the space requirement is 1.5 to two acres for every 100 MW of storage capacity. The cost model is to follow Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) guidelines.
The proposal comes as the state plans for its future electricity requirements. The Central Electricity Authority’s Resource Adequacy Report for the state for 2006-27 to 2035-36 has projected an additional energy storage requirement of 52,977 MW.
“The 4,250 MW potential identified at our six locations would be equivalent to around 8% of that storage requirement projected by the CEA,” a technical expert and UPRVUNL official Sanjay Gupta said.
The proposed projects, according to him, could support grid stability, improve energy security and help the state make better use of available electricity. “They could also generate investment and employment opportunities while contributing to the state’s clean energy transition,” he pointed out.