MAHAGENCO 1,600 MWh BESS Tender: How to Size and Bid (2026)

By Daniyal, Jingye New Energy. Published 26 October 2026.

Maharashtra State Power Generation Company (MAHAGENCO) has invited bids for 500 MW / 1,600 MWh of battery energy storage at six of its power station sites, according to Renewable Watch. The plants will connect to MSETCL substations at 33 kV and above, and the winning developers will own the systems and run them for 15 years.

This is one of several large storage tenders in India this month. NTPC Green Energy has also tendered 3,300 MWh of BESS at its Khavda solar plant, with batteries rated for 25 years at one cycle per day (ESS News). For EPCs and developers, the question is no longer whether India will buy storage. It is how to size, source and price a bid that wins and still earns money for 15 years.

What exactly is MAHAGENCO tendering?

Six standalone battery storage plants at existing MAHAGENCO sites, built, owned and operated by the developer, totalling 500 MW / 1,600 MWh.

Three sites need four-hour storage (100 MW / 400 MWh each) and three need two-hour storage. Developers handle operation and maintenance for 15 years. Reported tender terms (Saur Energy, Mercom India):

• Total capacity: 500 MW / 1,600 MWh across Uran, Koradi, Nashik, Khaperkheda, Chandrapur (Lakhmapur) and Parli
• Model: build-own-operate, with 15 years of operation and maintenance
• Grid connection: MSETCL substations at 33 kV and above
• Earnest money deposit: Rs 5 lakh per MW; bid processing fee Rs 10 lakh plus 18% GST
• Online bid deadline: 5 or 6 November 2026 (reports differ, so confirm on the MAHAGENCO portal)

How many 5 MWh containers does each site need?

At nameplate, about 320 containers of 5.015 MWh for the full 1,600 MWh, split 80 / 80 / 80 / 40 / 20 / 20 across the six sites.

We sized each site with the Jingye New Energy 5.015 MWh liquid-cooled container, which runs at 0.5P for two-hour duty (about 2.5 MW per container) or 0.25P for four-hour duty (about 1.25 MW per container). Because the container supports both rates, the energy count and the power count land on the same number at every site, so no capacity is wasted. Site capacities follow the Renewable Watch breakdown, whose figures add up to the 1,600 MWh total.

Jingye New Energy estimate at nameplate capacity. Containers = MWh ÷ 5.015, rounded up; PCS skids = MW ÷ 2.5. Real bids add capacity for depth of discharge, round-trip losses and 15 years of degradation, as defined in the tender documents.

Two practical points come out of this table:

• Four-hour sites are energy-heavy. At Uran, Koradi and Nashik you need twice as many containers per MW as at the two-hour sites. Running those containers at 0.25P keeps cells cooler and slows degradation, which matters over a 15-year own-and-operate contract.
• The power block is the same size everywhere. Every 100 MW site needs about 40 PCS skids of 2.5 MW, whether it is two-hour or four-hour. Standardising on one PCS skid design across all sites simplifies spares and O&M.

What should bidders check before choosing a battery supplier?

Under build-own-operate, the developer carries the battery risk for 15 years, so lifetime, safety and serviceability matter more than the first price per kWh.

• Usable energy over time: ask for a year-by-year capacity curve at your duty cycle, and size the augmentation plan from it.
• Thermal management: Maharashtra summers are hot. Liquid cooling with a tight cell temperature spread protects cycle life.
• Fire safety: look for detection and suppression at pack, rack and compartment level, not just one gas system for the whole container.
• Standards and import rules: confirm the IEC and Indian requirements in the tender, and plan the import route early.
• One interface for DC and AC: buying containers, PCS and transformer from one supplier reduces integration risk at 33 kV.

What import rules apply to BESS in India?

Grid-scale BESS imports qualify for a concessional 10% basic customs duty, and storage batteries sold in India need BIS registration.

In October 2026 the Finance Ministry clarified that stationary, grid-scale and industrial lithium-ion BESS should not be treated as power banks, so they keep the concessional 10% basic customs duty; consumer power banks stay at 20% (Energetica India). Separately, storage batteries sold in India fall under the BIS Compulsory Registration Scheme, and foreign manufacturers apply through an Authorized Indian Representative (Agile Regulatory). Check with your Indian partner which registrations the full system needs for this tender.

What does the Jingye 5 MWh container offer for this kind of project?

A 20-foot, 5.015 MWh liquid-cooled LFP container with three-level fire protection and a matching 2.5 MW PCS skid.

Behind the product: Jingye New Energy holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and IATF 16949 certificates, runs a CNAS-accredited test lab, and has 15 GWh a year of module and PACK capacity with MES traceability (company profile). Our containers already run at large industrial sites, including the 15 MW / 30 MWh storage plant at Tangshan Huaxi Special Steel (see our cases).

For smaller commercial and industrial sites, our C&I energy storage cabinets cover peak shaving and solar-plus-storage. You can find more buyer guides on the Jingye New Energy blog.

How should bidders price a 15-year BOO bid?

Start from the revenue per MW per month you need, then work back to the capital cost the storage can carry.

For reference, an earlier Maharashtra storage tender (MSEDCL, 2,000 MW / 4,000 MWh) was awarded at Rs 2,38,000 per MW per month to GK Energy for 150 MW / 300 MWh with viability gap funding, about Rs 42.84 crore a year for 15 years (Saur Energy). That is a two-hour project with VGF support, so it is not a direct benchmark for MAHAGENCO's four-hour sites, but it shows the tariff level winners are accepting in the state.

The cheapest way to stay competitive is to cut lifetime cost: fewer containers per MWh, lower auxiliary power, fewer site visits for maintenance, and a supplier that can quote the full DC and AC block on one schedule.

Frequently asked questions

How big is the MAHAGENCO BESS tender?

It covers 500 MW / 1,600 MWh of battery storage across six MAHAGENCO sites in Maharashtra, with a mix of two-hour and four-hour systems.

What contract model does MAHAGENCO use?

Build-own-operate. The winning developer builds and owns the storage plant and runs it, including operation and maintenance for 15 years.

When is the bid deadline?

Reports give 5 or 6 November 2026 for online bid submission. Check the final date on the MAHAGENCO tender portal.

How many 5 MWh containers would the full tender need?

About 320 containers of 5.015 MWh at nameplate, plus 200 PCS skids of 2.5 MW. Real bids need extra capacity for usable-energy and degradation guarantees, so treat 320 as the minimum.

Is the bid security high?

The reported earnest money deposit is Rs 5 lakh per MW, so about Rs 5 crore for a 100 MW site and Rs 2.5 crore for a 50 MW site.

What customs duty applies to importing a BESS into India?

India's Finance Ministry has clarified that stationary, grid-scale and industrial lithium-ion BESS qualify for the concessional 10% basic customs duty; power banks stay at 20%.

Can Jingye New Energy supply both containers and PCS?

Yes. Jingye New Energy offers the 5.015 MWh liquid-cooled container and a matching 2,500 kW PCS and transformer skid, so one supplier can quote the full DC and AC block.

Hebei Jingye New Energy Technology Co., Ltd, part of Jingye Group, makes containerized and C&I battery energy storage systems, cell contact systems (CCS), EV chargers and commercial vehicle batteries.