Reliance Secures 10 GWh ACC Battery Storage Contract under India's PLI Scheme

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has won a 10 GWh ACC battery storage plant contract under India's PLI scheme. The aim is to strengthen domestic manufacturing and reduce import reliance. RIL emerged as the top bidder after a transparent evaluation process, outshining six other competitors.

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has secured a 10 GWh Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) battery storage plant contract under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. The Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS) mechanism was employed to determine the winner, the Union Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) announced.

The initiative targets enhancing domestic manufacturing, slashing import dependency, and positioning India as a global leader in ACC battery production. Seven companies submitted bids during the re-bidding process for the 10 GWh capacity, with a budget allocation of Rs 3,620 crore, as disclosed on January 24.

The contenders included ACME Cleantech Solutions, Amara Raja Advanced Cell Technologies, Anvi Power Industries, JSW Neo Energy, Lucas TVS Limited, Reliance Industries Limited, and Waaree Energies, vying for a total capacity of 70 GWh. Following evaluations, six companies progressed to the financial assessment stage in compliance with the RFP guidelines.

The financial proposals of the qualified participants were opened on August 2, after technical evaluations, via a global tender on the Government of India's CPP portal. Final evaluations were conducted using the QCBS system, ranking bidders by their combined technical and financial scores.

Reliance Industries Limited emerged as the prime bidder, securing the 10 GWh PLI ACC capacity. ACME Cleantech Solutions, Amara Raja Advanced Cell Technologies, Waaree Energies, JSW Neo Energy, and Lucas TVS were placed on the waitlist according to their rank. In May 2021, the Cabinet approved the PLI Scheme for ACC Battery Storage targeting a 50 GWh manufacturing capacity with an Rs 18,100 crore budget.

In March 2022, the first bidding round concluded, allocating 30 GWh capacity to three firms, with agreements signed in July 2022. The PLI ACC scheme has received significant industry interest, underlining confidence in India's potential as a leading manufacturing hub, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, a self-reliant India.

(With inputs from agencies.)