Kerala's battery storage projects face delays as power crisis deepens

Kerala's efforts to shore up its electricity supply during an unprecedented monsoon-season power crisis hinge on five large-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS), but fresh indications suggest most of these projects will not be ready before the end of 2026.

The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) had initially told the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission (KSERC) that all five BESS projects would be commissioned by October 2026. The latest updates, however, indicate that this commercial operation date may be met only for two projects in Kasaragod district — the 125 MW/500 MWh BESS at Myalatti and the 15 MW/60 MWh facility at Mulleria. The Myalatti project is being executed through the Solar Energy Corporation of India, while the Mulleria unit is being implemented by NHPC Ltd.

The remaining three projects are set to be commissioned later. The BESS units at Sreekantapuram (40 MW/160 MWh) and Areacode (30 MW/120 MWh), both being developed through NHPC Ltd, are expected to be commissioned by November 2026. The Pothencode project in Thiruvananthapuram district (40 MW/60 MWh) has been delayed considerably, with the commission directing KSEB to commission it by December 2026, as committed in a letter dated August 11, 2026.

In a September 11 order on a KSEB petition seeking additional power purchases for the September 2026-May 2027 period, the commission, headed by T.K. Jose, observed that the BESS capacity likely to be commissioned by December 31, 2026, would improve electricity availability during peak hours. It directed the KSEB management to ensure no further delays in commissioning these projects.

BESS installations are critical for Kerala because they allow surplus daytime power — particularly solar generation — to be stored and used during the evening and night peak hours. The MW rating indicates the maximum power a system can deliver at a given moment, while MWh denotes the total energy it can store.

Despite rising daytime solar generation, the state has been unable to store this surplus, forcing KSEB to surrender daytime power already contracted from central generating stations and round-the-clock supply contracts. In April 2026, the commission noted that KSEB was surrendering up to 1,000 MW of such contracted power to accommodate surplus solar power injected into the grid by prosumers.

At present, KSEB is meeting peak evening demand through expensive power purchases, the cost of which is passed on to consumers as a surcharge. The commission has also instructed KSEB to limit internal hydropower generation during the daytime and shift it to evening hours, ensuring that stored reservoir water is used to its full potential during peak demand.

After a high-level meeting convened by Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan on Monday, Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph said Kerala was in talks with NTPC Ltd and other sources to procure additional power.

KSEB has imposed power curbs between 6.15 p.m. and 12.45 a.m. to address the evening shortage, which it attributes to soaring nationwide electricity demand, a deficient southwest monsoon and higher domestic consumption. The utility has also drawn public criticism over unscheduled and multiple outages during late evening hours.

India Meteorological Department data show the southwest monsoon, the mainstay of Kerala's hydropower generation, was 27% short during the June 1-September 15 period. Water storage in hydel reservoirs currently stands at 62% of capacity, equivalent to 2,575.62 million units.