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Sri Lanka launches tender for 640 MWh of battery storage, via small-scale rollout

Sri Lanka’s state-owned utility, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the development of 160 MW/640 MWh of standalone battery energy storage systems (BESS).

By

Tristan Rayner

Aug 14, 2025

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has requested proposals for a standalone battery energy storage system initiative. The purpose of the facility is energy shifting and the utilization of renewable energy. A secondary objective is contribution to frequency response during emergencies. The projects will be developed under a competitive bidding approach.

The total installed capacity is 160 MW/640 MWh. This capacity is composed of projects at 16 grid substations. Each project will have a capacity of 10 MW/40 MWh. The projects will be developed on a Build, Own, and Operate basis (BOO) with a 15-year operational period. The connection voltage level is 33kV.

Project proponents must guarantee a minimum system availability of 97% on a monthly basis. A minimum AC to AC roundtrip efficiency of 85% is also required on a monthly basis. The minimum dispatchable storage capacity must be 97.5% at the end of contract year one, declining to 62.5% at the end of contract year 15. Payments will be a flat Capacity Charge Rate for the contract period. Payments will be in Sri Lanka Rupees.

Bidding is open to foreign and local project proponents. A proposal security of LKR 25,000,000 (approximately USD 82,500) per 10MW/40MWh project is required. Successful proponents must furnish a performance security of LKR 108,000,000 (approximately USD 356,400) per 10MW/40MWh project. The deadline for proposal submission is at 10am on September 10, 2025. The target for commercial operation is May 29, 2026.

Written by

Tristan Rayner

Tristan is an Electrical Engineer with experience in consulting and public sector works in plant procurement. He has previously been Managing Editor and Founding Editor of tech and other publications in Australia.

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