More than 35 power companies have submitted bids for the tender issued by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) on October 14 to develop battery energy storage systems (BESS) for 16 projects across the country, industry sources said.
Among the companies that have applied are Fentons, Hayleys, DIMO, WindForce, Resus Power, WKV, Hydrotech, Pyramid Wilmar, Green Power Energy Management, and Panasian Power.
These firms are expected to install batteries from leading international brands, including Huawei, Sungrow, CATL, Trina, Hithium, and Gymco.
The CEB invited expressions of interest for 160 MW of battery energy storage capacity to be distributed across multiple substations. The selected bidders will be required to identify appropriate sites based on the CEB’s substation network.
According to internal sources, WindForce and Hydrotech have emerged as the lowest bidders, with WindForce bidding for 13 projects and Hydrotech for three. The bids are now under technical evaluation.
In a related development, Access Solar in May announced a partnership with Jinko Solar to develop utility-scale, commercial, and residential BESS applications in Sri Lanka.
Energy industry experts emphasized that battery storage is vital for managing the intermittent nature of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. The systems help store excess power generated during peak production and release it during periods of high demand, reducing reliance on costly fossil fuels and improving grid stability.
BESS technology is also viewed as crucial to achieving Sri Lanka’s target of 40% renewable energy generation by 2030, improving power quality, and minimizing outages for homes and businesses.
While the CEB’s large hydroelectric plants can help balance solar output by reducing daytime usage, experts note that rotating generators are still needed to maintain system stability during rapid changes in renewable generation.
