Hyderabad: Singareni Collieries Company Limited has installed Telangana’s first Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) to prevent surplus daytime solar power from being transferred to the grid without benefit. The 1 MW experimental unit, linked to the 28 MW Mandamarri Solar Power Plant, is expected to be commissioned in the next two to three days.

The state has been expanding its solar footprint, and Singareni already operates 245.5 MW of solar plants whose power is supplied to the grid. However, when internal demand dips, excess generation is currently given to the grid free of cost. The newly installed BESS will store this surplus and release it during peak hours, allowing Singareni to optimise consumption and reduce dependence on external supply.

The system, costing Rs 2.73 crore, is expected to store and utilise about 9.1 lakh units of solar power annually, translating into savings of nearly Rs 70 lakh per year. Officials describe BESS as an advanced storage and conservation technology that supports greater renewable energy efficiency. The state government has also proposed large-scale battery storage projects of up to 250 MW. In this backdrop, the Mandamarri installation serves as a pilot for wider deployment.