Uttarakhand is set to implement Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects to store electricity efficiently, with financial assistance from the central government. Energy Secretary R. Meenakshi Sundaram has written to the Union Ministry of Power requesting allocation for 500 megawatt-hours (MWh) of storage capacity.
The state government has already initiated work in this direction, preparing detailed project reports (DPRs) for three BESS installations. The first project, with a capacity of 30 MW and 75 MWh, will be established near the Dhakrani substation in Dehradun. The second, with a capacity of 15 MW and 37.5 MWh, will be located near the Tiloth substation in Uttarkashi. The third project, with 37.5 MWh capacity, will be set up near the Khatima substation.
The state has sought approval for 500 MWh of total allocation, which will make these projects eligible for a subsidy of ₹18 lakh per MWh under the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme by the central government. These projects aim to enhance energy reliability and support renewable energy integration.
