Delhi Unveils South Asia's Largest 20-MW Battery Energy Storage System to Boost Power Supply
New Delhi: Delhi power minister Ashish Sood on Thursday inaugurated a 20-MW battery energy storage system (BESS) at Kilokari, said to be the "largest" in South Asia. The system is also India's "first commercially approved" utility-scale energy storage system that will ensure improved power supply in different south Delhi areas, covering a population of over one lakh people, according to a statement from power discom BRPL (BSES Rajdhani Power Limited).
The 20-MW (40 MWh) BESS installed at the BRPL substation at Kilokari is the "largest" utility-scale system in South Asia. "The energy storage system is designed to deliver up to four hours of reliable daily power—two hours each during the day and night—directly benefiting over one lakh residents in the densely populated Kilokri area in south Delhi," it stated.
The system offers multiple benefits such as improved power supply, enhanced grid stability, optimised power purchase costs, peak shaving, reduced overloading of the network, and renewable power integration.
Strategically located at the 33/11 kV Kilokri substation, it will deliver up to four hours of reliable daily power, two hours each during the day and night, directly benefiting over 1,00,000 residents in the densely populated Kilokri area in south Delhi, said discom BSES.
This initiative significantly enhances grid reliability, especially during peak demand periods, setting a new standard for urban energy management.
The project, completed within a year, leverages advanced Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) technology known for superior safety, thermal stability, and durability. The system's temperature-controlled containers ensure optimal operations under Delhi's diverse weather conditions, making it ideally suited for dense urban locations, the discom said.
South delhi MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, BSES director and group CEO Amal Sinha, BRPL CEO Abhishek Ranjan, and many other officials were present at the inauguration ceremony.
The power minister said that the govt would deploy this new technology in Delhi and ensure the required investment for the same.
"Entrepreneurs keen to work in the solar energy sector will also be supported with necessary facilities to help ensure continuous and sustainable power supply. The project will not only aid clean energy storage and green energy promotion but also marks the beginning of a new era of innovation," he said.
Sood stated that implementing this 20 MW storage system will reduce the strain on Delhi's power infrastructure. The govt will scale up the model further, particularly in unauthorised colonies and areas with limited land availability or no existing grid. He said the Delhi govt's top priority is to overhaul the neglected and outdated power infrastructure of the last 10 years. The aim is to rapidly adopt new technologies to ensure smooth and round-the-clock electricity supply for the people of Delhi, he said.
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