Kerala Power Board Actively Evaluating NTPC's 250 MW Battery Storage Plan

A proposal by NTPC Ltd to set up a grid-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) at its facility in Kayamkulam, Alappuzha district, is under active review by the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB).

According to an NTPC official, the proposed BESS will initially have a capacity of 250 MW (megawatts) and 1000 MWh (megawatt-hours), meaning it can deliver 250 MW of power for four hours. The system would be the seventh such facility in the state and the second in south Kerala.

The official said the existing transmission lines at the NTPC unit can be used to evacuate electricity from the BESS. The proposal was submitted in December 2025, and the modalities are being worked out.

Kerala is focusing heavily on BESS projects due to the rapid increase in solar power capacity and the lack of storage for the surplus generated during solar hours, which is needed to meet evening peak demand.

Currently, BESS projects are underway at KSEB substations in Mylatti (125 MW/500 MWh), Sreekandapuram (40 MW/160 MWh), Mulleria (15 MW/60 MWh), Areacode (30 MW/120 MWh) in north Kerala, and Pothencode (40 MW/160 MWh) in Thiruvananthapuram district. KSEB recently informed the State Electricity Regulatory Commission that these projects would be ready by October 2026.

The Commission also cleared a sixth 250 MW/500 MWh project at Brahmapuram in Ernakulam district. Presenting the power scenario in the state assembly on July 1, Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph said the government intends to prioritise BESS for handling peak-hour shortages.

The emphasis on BESS is also because developing new hydro projects and pumped storage projects would take more time.