India Centralizes Energy Storage Tender Visibility Through MNRE–SECI Routing

Key Takeaways

• • • MNRE is centralizing energy storage tender visibility by routing the market to SECI’s tender portal, positioning SECI as the primary gateway for national ESS procurement.
    • India’s storage demand is accelerating sharply with NEP 2023 projecting growth from 82.37 GWh in 2026–2027 to 411.4 GWh by 2031–2032, spanning both BESS and pumped storage.
    • Active SECI tenders signal repeatable procurement including VGF-backed standalone BESS and large-scale pumped storage projects, shaping near-term opportunities for suppliers and EPCs.

India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is reinforcing how their market should track energy storage procurement through its public “Energy Storage Systems Projects and Tenders” webpage. Rather than publishing tender notices directly, the page functions as a routing hub, directing users to live procurement portals most notably the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) tenders platform.

Under its “Project Details / Weblink” section, MNRE links out to SECI’s tender portal as the primary government-backed source for active ESS tenders, alongside select third-party trackers. The structure makes clear that SECI is the execution layer, while MNRE sets policy context and visibility.

Why MNRE is emphasizing ESS tender visibility

MNRE’s storage overview ties directly to projections from the National Electricity Plan 2023, published by India’s Central Electricity Authority. The NEP estimates India’s energy storage requirement at 82.37 GWh in 2026–27, comprising:

• 47.65 GWh from pumped storage plants (PSP)
• 34.72 GWh from battery energy storage systems (BESS)

By 2031–32, total storage demand is projected to rise sharply to 411.4 GWh, split between 175.18 GWh PSP and 236.22 GWh BESS. These projections explain why tender activity is expanding in parallel across standalone battery systems and large-scale pumped hydro, rather than favoring a single storage pathway.

Examples of storage tenders visible through SECI-linked procurement

Because MNRE’s hub points to SECI’s tender portal, the practical signal for the market is that SECI is being positioned as a consistent route to monitor storage opportunities.

Standalone BESS: Odisha 125 MW / 500 MWh (GRIDCO)

One example is a SECI-issued Request for Selection (RfS) covering six grid-connected standalone BESS projects in Odisha, totaling 500 MWh (125 MW × 4 hours). The RfS notes that SECI is procuring on behalf of GRIDCO, with project viability supported through Viability Gap Funding (VGF) under the Power System Development Fund (PSDF). The procurement follows a tariff-based competitive bidding process under a Build–Own–Operate (BOO) model. The RfS is dated December 18, 2025.

Pumped storage: 1,000 MW / 8,000 MWh (PSP-I, Tranche I)

SECI has also released an RfS for ISTS-connected pumped storage plants, totaling 8,000 MWh (1,000 MW × 8 hours) under PSP-I, Tranche I. The tender frames PSPs as “on-demand” energy storage facilities, with SECI entering into power purchase agreements (PPAs) with successful bidders to supply storage services to buying entities, based on the tender’s defined service structure.

What the MNRE hub tells procurement teams

MNRE’s ESS page is not a tender bulletinon its own. Its strategic value lies in standardizing where the market looks, with SECI clearly positioned as the government-aligned gateway for storage procurement. The recurring ESS tenders translate into predictable demand for:

• • Power conversion systems and inverter/PCS electronics
  • Control, monitoring, and industrial communications
  • Protection, switchgear, and grid-interconnect hardware
  • Long-lead spares and lifecycle support once assets move into operation

What to watch next

With MNRE continuing to refresh the ESS hub and routing users to SECI’s live tender portal, near-term watch items include:

1. 1. Release frequency across standalone BESS and PSP tenders
   2. Bid timelines, award cadence, and execution schedules
   3. Tender structures: including BOO models, VGF-backed economics, and service-based “on-demand” constructs, and how they affect bankability and deployment speed

Together, these signals will shape how quickly India’s projected storage capacity moves from policy targets into contracted projects.