Central Electricity Authority published draft regulations for amendments to the Central Electricity Authority (Technical Standards for Construction of Electrical Plants and Electric Lines) Regulations, 2022, for public objections and suggestions. The draft was made available on October 6, 2025, and responses received were considered.

The notification introduces amendments to the 2022 regulations. Definitions under regulation 2 are expanded to include terms related to battery energy storage systems, photovoltaic modules, and related technical parameters. A new Chapter VI is inserted covering technical standards for construction of renewable energy power plants and battery energy storage systems. The Chapter is divided into parts covering solar, floating solar, onshore wind, offshore wind, and battery energy storage systems. General requirements, equipment specifications, design life, protection systems, communication systems, control mechanisms, and operational parameters are specified. Provisions also include requirements for documentation, monitoring systems, safety measures, performance standards, and technical specifications applicable to renewable energy power plants and battery energy storage systems.

“(fa) “battery energy storage system” means a stationary system connected to the electricity system which is used to store electric energy by means of electrochemical materials, typically includes batteries, power conversion system, and battery management system.

(fb) “battery energy storage system energy capacity” means the product of the rated output power and the output duration time at this rated power, expressed in kWh or MWh, measured at metering point, at the time of commissioning of the battery energy storage system.

(fc) “battery energy storage system power capacity” means the maximum amount of power, expressed in kW or MW, that a battery energy storage system can deliver at delivery point at any given moment.

(fd) “battery container” means a container which houses the components such as module, rack, battery management system, thermal management system, safety system and control system.

(fe) “battery management system” means a system which controls the batteries in order to obtain safe operation, and also balances the energy of batteries and monitors the status thereof.

(ff) “battery module” means a string of series connected cells placed in a casing.

(fg) “battery rack” means a string of series connected battery modules placed in a container.”

“(ia) “c rate” means the rate at which a battery charges or discharges relative to its maximum energy capacity.

(ib) “cycle” means the charging of a battery from its depth of discharge level to its peak charging level and again discharging to its depth of discharge level.”

“(la) “depth of discharge” means the level to which a battery energy storage system is discharged relative to the maximum possible amount of energy that can be discharged by the system, typically expressed as a percentage.”

“(zea) “module” means the collection of photovoltaic cells connected together.”

“(zka) “power conversion system” in a battery energy storage system refers to the integrated system of inverters, rectifiers, controllers and associated power electronics system that convert Direct Current power stored in the battery to Alternating Current power for injecting into the electricity system (discharging), and vice versa (charging)

(zkb) “power plant controller” means the equipment in a renewable energy power plant responsible for maintaining a reference active and reactive power output from the renewable energy power plant and also capable of sending & receiving signals from remote end.”

“(zna) “ramp rate of battery energy storage system” means rate of change of a battery energy storage system output expressed in percentage of MW per minute.”

“(zqa) “state of charge” means the present level of charge of a battery expressed in percentage of its maximum capacity.

(zqb) “state of health” means the maximum level of charge of a battery expressed in percentage of its initial value at the time of its first use.”

“CHAPTER-VI
TECHNICAL STANDARDS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY POWER PLANT AND BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM

109. Technical standards for construction of renewable energy power plant and battery energy storage system shall be covered in the following five parts namely: –

(1) Part- A: Technical standards for construction of solar power plant;
(2) Part- A1: Technical standards for construction of floating solar plant;
(3) Part- B: Technical standards for construction of onshore wind power plant;
(4) Part- B1: Technical standards for construction of offshore wind power plant; and
(5) Part- C: Technical standards for construction of battery energy storage system”