Delhi’s Kilokari Gets South Asia’s Largest 20-MW Battery Storage System To Power 1 Lakh Homes

To beat the heat and provide uninterrupted electricity supply, Delhi Power Minister Ashish Sood on Thursday inaugurated a 20-MW battery energy storage system (BESS) in Kilokari. "This storage system is the largest in South Asia and will supply power to the area as demand increases," the minister said.

The system is also India's "first commercially approved" utility-scale energy storage system that will ensure improved power supply in different South Delhi areas, covering a population of over one lakh people, according to a statement of power discom BRPL (BSES Rajdhani Power Limited).

The 20 MW / 40 MWh Battery Energy Storage System was delivered on a turnkey basis under a long-term Battery Energy storage capacity agreement (BESPA) with BRPL. Installed and commissioned in just 11 months, ahead of schedule, the system became operational in April 2025. The project primarily benefits 100,000 residents of South Delhi, including high-demand areas such as Defence Colony and Lajpat Nagar.

The system extends multiple benefits such as improved power supply, enhanced grid stability, optimised power purchase costs, peak shaving, reduced overloading of network and renewable power integration, the statement said.

The BESS provides four hours of uninterrupted backup power daily-two hours during afternoon peaks and two at night-helping replace fossil fuel based power generation during peak hours with renewable energy from Solar or Wind. The system also reduces reliance on diesel gensets and enhances power availability for critical infrastructure including Moolchand and Safdarjung hospitals and key educational institutions.

The project will play a pivotal role in peak load shaving, capex deferral, energy arbitrage savings, and ancillary services provision, reducing power purchase costs and bolstering grid resilience and has the potential to offset about 65 Tons of CO2 every day through it's 80 MWh of daily discharge. 

"Energy storage is now a cornerstone of modern power systems," said Ayush Misra, Co-Founder and CEO of AmpereHour Energy. "We are proud to partner with Indigrid and  BRPL on this landmark project, demonstrating the scalability and reliability of our technology in urban utility networks. As India accelerates its transition to clean energy, solutions like these are essential in ensuring a resilient, flexible, and future-ready grid."

South Delhi MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, BSES director and group CEO Amal Sinha, BRPL CEO Abhishek Ranjan and many other officials were present at the inauguration ceremony.

The project was implemented in collaboration with BRPL, IndiGrid, GEAPP and Amperehour, added the statement. 

(Inputs from BSES and PTI)