Standardizing Storage: ABCI Infrastructures Lands 12-Year Standalone BESS Contract

Standardizing Storage: ABCI Infrastructures Lands 12-Year Standalone BESS Contract

April 22, 2026

ABCI Infrastructures has emerged as the winner in the Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC) auction to develop a 40 MW/80 MWh standalone battery energy storage system (BESS). The project, located at the New Cossipore generating station in Kolkata, West Bengal, was awarded at a tariff of ₹326,000  per MW per month. Under the terms of the 12-year power purchase agreement, ABCI will operate the project on a Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) model, eventually transferring the facility to CESC for a nominal sum of ₹1 at the end of the contract period.

The BESS is designed for two charge-discharge cycles daily, ensuring high utility for CESC in managing its peak and off-peak demand. The project requirements are stringent, mandating a round-trip efficiency of 90% and system availability of over 95%. To minimize technology risk, ABCI is required to use commercially established technologies and must commission the facility within 18 months. CESC will provide the land and the power for charging/discharging, while ABCI remains responsible for the entire lifecycle, from design and installation to long-term operation and maintenance.

This win comes at a time of rapid acceleration for the Indian storage market. In 2025 alone, various agencies floated tenders for nearly 17 GW/48 GWh of standalone battery storage. As India added 547 MWh of capacity in 2025—a 26% year-over-year increase—projects like the New Cossipore BESS are becoming the blueprint for urban utility grid stabilization and peak-load management.