Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has been awarded a 10 GWh ACC capacity battery storage plant under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, based on the Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS) mechanism.
The Union Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) of India announced RIL as the successful bidder under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) Battery Storage. The aim is to boost domestic manufacturing capacity, reduce reliance on imports, and position India as a global leader in ACC battery production.
The Ministry had received bids from seven companies during the re-bidding process for the 10 GWh ACC manufacturing capacity, with a maximum budgetary outlay of Rs 3,620 crore, as announced on January 24 this year. The bidders included ACME Cleantech Solutions Private Limited, Amara Raja Advanced Cell Technologies Private Limited, Anvi Power Industries Private Limited, JSW Neo Energy Limited, Lucas TVS Limited, Reliance Industries Limited, and Waaree Energies Limited, for a total capacity of 70 GWh.
After evaluating all seven bids, six companies were shortlisted for financial evaluation, in accordance with the RFP requirements. The financial bids for these qualified bidders were opened on August 2 this year, following the technical evaluation results, through a transparent global tender process conducted via the CPP portal of the Government of India.
The final evaluation of the shortlisted bidders was conducted using the QCBS mechanism, ranking them based on their combined technical and financial scores. Reliance Industries Limited emerged as the top-ranked bidder, securing the 10 GWh PLI ACC capacity. The remaining five shortlisted companies were placed on a waiting list in order of their ranks: ACME Cleantech Solutions Private Limited (Waitlist 1), Amara Raja Advanced Cell Technologies Private Limited (Waitlist 2), Waaree Energies Limited (Waitlist 3), JSW Neo Energy Limited (Waitlist 4), and Lucas TVS Limited (Waitlist 5).
In May 2021, the Cabinet approved the technology-agnostic PLI Scheme under the ‘National Programme on Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) Battery Storage’ to achieve a manufacturing capacity of 50 GWh of ACC, with a budget outlay of Rs 18,100 crore. The first round of bidding concluded in March 2022, resulting in three firms being allocated a total of 30 GWh capacity, with agreements signed in July 2022.
The PLI ACC scheme has garnered a tremendous response, reflecting the industry’s confidence in India’s emergence as a world-class manufacturing hub, aligning with the Prime Minister’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, a self-reliant India.
(With ANI inputs)
