News Synopsis
SNAPSHOT
Project Name – Kayamkulam Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)
Owner – NTPC Ltd
Project Type – Grid-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)
Location – Kayamkulam, Alappuzha district, Kerala, India
Technology Used – Lithium-ion Battery Energy Storage System with four-hour discharge duration
Storage Capacity – 250 MW / 1,000 MWh
Project Status – Proposal under active consideration by Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB)
Purpose – To store surplus renewable electricity and supply power during peak demand periods
Expected Output – Improved grid flexibility, renewable energy integration and peak demand support
Infrastructure Advantage – Existing NTPC transmission lines proposed for power evacuation
India's integrated power utility and a central public sector enterprise, NTPC Ltd has submitted a proposal to establish a grid-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at its facility in Kayamkulam, Alappuzha. Submitted in December 2025, the proposal is currently under the active consideration of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) with operational modalities being worked out.
The proposed Kayamkulam project will initially feature a capacity of 250 MW / 1000 MWh, meaning it can deliver maximum of 250 MW of power at given moment and store up to 1000 MWh of energy, providing 250 MW for four hours. An NTPC official confirmed that the unit's existing transmission lines can be utilized to evacuate electricity for this project. If approved, this facility will mark the seventh BESS in Kerala and the second in the southern region of the state.
Kerala is heavily prioritizing BESS infrastructure due to a rapid increase in its solar power capacity. Because the state currently lacks the storage capacity to save surplus energy generated during peak daytime solar hours as it faces shortages during high-demand evening hours. On July 1, Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph addressed the State Legislative Assembly, reiterating that the government intends to give priority to BESS to handle these peak-hour deficits. This emphasis is further driven by the fact that developing new hydroelectric and pumped storage projects (PSP) requires significantly more time.
The Kayamkulam proposal joins six other major BESS projects at various stages across Kerala. These include the 125 MW / 500 MWh Mylatti project in North Kerala, the 250 MW / 500 MWh Brahmapuram project in Ernakulam, which was recently cleared by the State Electricity Regulatory Commission, the 40 MW / 160 MWh Sreekandapuram project in North Kerala, the 40 MW / 160 MWh Pothencode project in Thiruvananthapuram in south Kerala, the 30 MW / 120 MWh Areacode project in North Kerala and the 15 MW / 60 MWh Mulleria project in North Kerala.
KSEB recently informed the State Electricity Regulatory Commission that the five projects currently under progress—Mylatti, Sreekandapuram, Mulleria, Areacode and Pothencode—are scheduled to be ready by October 2026.