HYDERABAD

The Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) established for the first time in the State by Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) is yielding encouraging results as the system has enabled the company to store the surplus solar power generated during the daytime in batteries, instead of being supplied free of cost to the grid.

Such stored energy is being utilised by the company whenever required, particularly during night times, and helping to generate financial benefits for Singareni. A 1 MW Battery Energy Storage System was established four months ago as an auxiliary facility to the 28 MW Singareni solar power plant in Mandamarri Area by investing ₹2.5 crore for the purpose.

By availing the stored energy the company has saved ₹26 lakh on energy bill during the last four months, according to officials of the SCCL. Singareni has already established solar power plants with a total capacity of 245.5 MW at eight different locations, and of them plants with a capacity of 147 MW have been categorised as Open Access Plants, while the remaining plants with a capacity of 98.50 MW have been categorised as in-house plants and connected to the Telangana power grid.

Although electricity generated from the in-house plants is connected to the grid, only the electricity consumed for local requirements is utilised, while Telangana DISCOMs won’t make any payment for the surplus electricity generated and supplied to the grid, as per the power purchase agreement. The excess electricity was being supplied to the grid free of cost and despite the supply of the thousands of units of surplus power generated daily from the in-house plants to the grid, there has been no financial returns/benefit to the company.

With the objective of deriving value even from the surplus power generated, Singareni has experimentally established a 1 MW BESS unit at the Mandamarri Plant. The 28 MW solar plant at Mandamarri has been functioning efficiently and supplying electricity required for the mines and colonies in the Mandamarri and Srirampur Areas.

However, after meeting local power requirements, some electricity still remained surplus, driving the company to establish the battery energy storage system in January this year. Since then, the BESS unit has been utilised for local requirements and the remaining 3,35,485 units of electricity was stored and used whenever required. As a result, Singareni has made financial savings of ₹25,66,460.