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Andhra Pradesh Releases Draft Regulations for Battery Energy Storage to Boost Renewable Integration

The Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) has released draft regulations for the planning, procurement, deployment, and utilisation of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). These regulations are a key step in implementing the state's Integrated Clean Energy Policy, 2024, which targets the addition of 25 GWh of BESS to support over 160 GW of renewable energy integration.

The draft proposes a comprehensive framework covering generation, transmission, distribution, and consumer-end applications. It supports multiple ownership models, including co-located storage with renewables, standalone grid assets, embedded systems, and behind-the-meter solutions. BESS is defined as an essential grid support resource for services like frequency regulation, spinning reserves, voltage stabilisation, and black start.

Aggregators will be instrumental in pooling storage resources to deliver grid services or participate in energy markets. DISCOMs and transmission licensees must include BESS in their resource planning via competitive bidding, with preference for co-located projects to optimise grid costs. Projects must have a minimum capacity of 1 MW with four-hour storage, though smaller DTR-level rooftop solar storage units are also allowed.

The Andhra Pradesh SLDC will be the nodal agency for BESS operations. The regulation details tariff mechanisms, technical standards, and mandates open access under the Green Energy Open Access policy, aiming to streamline energy storage integration for a decarbonised future.