CTUIL Revises RE Developer Confirmation Format for Battery Storage Connectivity
The Central Transmission Utility of India has issued a revised confirmation format for renewable energy developers seeking connectivity for Battery Energy Storage Systems, introducing a modified Option C while reiterating the conditions for commissioning commensurate renewable energy generation and BESS charging under the GNA framework.
July 02, 2026. By Mrinmoy Dey
Under the revised format, developers are required to furnish details of their earlier connectivity application, including the connectivity quantum, installed solar, wind and energy storage capacities, pooling station and project type. They must also provide information regarding the BESS connectivity application, including the installed renewable generation and storage capacities.
The revised confirmation format offers developers three options for complying with the charging requirements for BESS.
Option A applies to developers installing commensurate co-located renewable energy generation specifically for charging the BESS. Developers undertaking this option must commission renewable energy generation equivalent to the connectivity quantum of the BESS within 36 months from the date of in-principle connectivity approval or the firm start date of connectivity, whichever is later. Until such renewable generation is commissioned, the BESS will be permitted to charge using solar-hour access or by drawing power from the ISTS grid, subject to the availability of transmission margins.
Option B covers developers establishing commensurate co-located renewable energy generation for supplying power through the ISTS. Similar to Option A, the associated renewable energy project must be commissioned within 36 months, while the BESS will be allowed to charge from the ISTS grid under GNA based on available transmission margins.
The modified Option C allows developers to charge the BESS either from renewable energy generating stations (REGS) covered under an earlier connectivity grant or through the ISTS based on available margins. The revised provision further clarifies that evacuation margins created in the ISTS due to such BESS charging may be utilised for granting additional connectivity to other entities without reducing the injection rights of the earlier connectivity grantee. The additional entities will receive injection rights limited to the evacuation margins and the additional connectivity quantum, while the original connectivity holder will continue to enjoy preferential injection rights in the event of transmission constraints.
The revised format also reiterates that power injection into the ISTS shall not exceed the injection rights available under solar-hour and non-solar-hour access at the ISTS interface. Developers opting for Options A or B who fail to commission the required renewable energy generation within the stipulated 36-month period will lose their non-solar-hour access rights under GNA. In such cases, the BESS will only be eligible for injection and drawal under Temporary General Network Access (TGNA), and the released non-solar-hour access rights may be allocated to other entities.
CTUIL has also clarified that the commensurate renewable energy generating station (REGS) for charging the BESS should be equivalent to the energy storage capacity of the BESS in MWh. As an illustration, the utility stated that a 200 MW BESS with a storage duration of four hours (800 MWh) would require renewable energy generation capable of producing 800 MWh to fully charge the storage system in one cycle.
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