Tata Power to set up 100 MW battery energy storage system in Mumbai
Tata Power announced on Monday that it has received approval from the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) to install a 100 MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Mumbai over the next two years. The cutting-edge BESS, equipped with advanced 'black start' functionality, will enable a swift recovery of power supply to critical infrastructure, including the metro, hospitals, airport, and data centres, in case of grid disturbances. This will prevent large-scale blackouts and enhance Mumbai’s power network resilience. The entire 100 MW system will be installed in the next two years across 10 strategically located sites, especially near load centres across Mumbai Distribution, centrally monitored and controlled from Tata Power’s Power System Control Center. Additionally, the system’s sophisticated technology will optimise reactive power management, improving peak demand efficiency and strengthening the city's power infrastructure, the company said. With high ramp-rate capability, the BESS will facilitate peak load management, ensuring a stable and balanced power supply even during high-demand periods. It will also help reduce power purchase costs by storing energy during low-cost periods and utilising it during high-cost peak hours, thereby ensuring reduced tariffs for consumers in the future. Furthermore, the BESS will support capital expenditure (capex) deferral by minimising the need for costly infrastructure upgrades and efficiently managing load fluctuations with stored energy, according to the Tata Power statement. Beyond enhancing grid reliability, the BESS will offer ancillary services, including frequency regulation and voltage support, further strengthening grid stability. It will also enable better utilisation of solar energy by storing surplus daytime power and making it available during peak demand, ensuring optimal renewable energy integration with an increase in Green Energy consumption. Additionally, Tata Power’s BESS deployment will also fulfil energy storage obligations. The company’s future plans include the integration of BESS into the Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS) to enhance operational efficiency. Tata Power remains committed to "Safety First", incorporating three layers of temperature monitoring and fire suppression systems at the cell, module, and rack levels within the BESS. The system will have high round-trip efficiency with reduced auxiliary consumption, thereby enhancing operational performance and extending the storage system's lifespan to support Mumbai’s energy sustainability goals.
