Vikram Solar subsidiary plans 7.5 GWh BESS assembly plant in India

VSL PowerHive, a wholly owned subsidiary of Vikram Solar, plans to establish a battery energy storage system (BESS) assembly plant with an annual capacity of 7.5 GWh in Oragadam, near Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. The facility is designed to scale up to 15 GWh in phases, as the company targets 30 GWh of total battery manufacturing capacity by 2030.

Spread across approximately 165,000 square feet, the facility is slated for inauguration in January 2027, with commercial operations expected to begin in April 2027.

Once operational, the plant will assemble lithium iron phosphate (LFP)-based energy storage systems for utility-scale and commercial and industrial (C&I) applications. Its product portfolio will include 5.016 MWh and 6.25 MWh liquid-cooled BESS containers, PowerHive’s P261 battery cabinets, utility-scale energy storage systems and renewable energy-integrated storage solutions, all to be manufactured in India under the Make in India initiative.

PowerHive plans to expand into cell manufacturing with a 7.5 GWh program from 2028 as it aims to build a fully integrated battery manufacturing ecosystem in India, from cell to system. Backing this roadmap, PowerHive is developing indigenous battery technologies and has already initiated multiple patent filings to strengthen its technology ownership and reduce reliance on imported know-how.

“Storage is the bridge between India’s renewable ambition and round-the-clock clean power,” said Gyanesh Chaudhary, Chairman and Managing Director, Vikram Solar. “As the country scales up solar and wind, the ability to store that energy reliably will define the next phase of the transition, and that capability must be built in India. The new plant is a decisive step in that direction and extends Vikram Solar’s role in the clean energy value chain from generating power to storing it.”

“Energy storage is what makes renewable power dependable, and demand for it in India is rising faster than ever,” said Arun Mittal, CEO, VSL PowerHive. “With this development, we are setting out to build world-class battery manufacturing capability in the country, starting with 7.5 GWh of assembly and progressing to cells and an integrated ecosystem. Our aim is to give utilities, developers and industries a future-ready, domestically built storage partner for the decades ahead.”

From pv magazine India