Overview
- Singareni Collieries Company Ltd installed a 1 MW battery energy storage system at its 28 MW Mandamarri solar plant in January as an experimental pilot and paid ₹2.5 crore for the unit.
- Over the following four months the BESS stored 3,35,485 units of electricity and SCCL reports energy bill savings of about ₹25.66 lakh from using that stored power.
- SCCL used the stored energy to meet local needs, especially at night, instead of exporting surplus daytime generation that under its PPAs is not paid for by Telangana DISCOMs.
- The company already runs 245.5 MW of solar capacity across eight sites and says the pilot’s gains make it willing to pursue more renewables‑plus‑storage projects to capture otherwise unpaid surplus.
- Officials present the project as a state‑directed proof of concept with limited scope and time, and no regulatory or DISCOM response has been reported so observers should watch for policy or procurement moves that would enable wider rollout.