NTPC has invited expressions of interest (EoI) to develop a pilot or utility-scale project for a compressed air-based, including liquified air-based, long-duration energy storage system (LDES) with a storage capacity of up to 1,000 MWh.

The last date to submit the bids is February 23, 2026, and bids will be opened the following day.

The EoI does not require any earnest money deposit or bank guarantee at this stage.

NTPC has stated that the objective of this EoI is to evaluate the current market landscape, technology readiness, technical performance, and operational characteristics of the technologies, and to assess their suitability and techno-commercial viability for pilot/utility-scale project implementation under Indian grid and site conditions.

The LDES technologies are well-suited for long-duration applications, with discharge durations of eight hours or more. This capability is particularly relevant for effectively utilizing excess renewable generation during solar hours, while providing sufficiently long discharge to manage evening peaks and prolonged non-solar-period demand that cannot be addressed by short-duration storage systems.

NTPC has stated that the possibility of implementation of pilot projects may also be explored under any of the following project implementation models, based on the techno-commercial viability of the technologies:

• EPC + O&M: Project executed on an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) basis with ownership retained by NTPC, and complete EPC, along with the operation andmaintenance to be carried out by the contractor for a defined period.
• Build, Own, and Operate (BOO) Model: Developer finances, owns, and operates the project and provides storage services to NTPC under a long-term agreement.
• Build, Own, Operate & Transfer (BOOT): Developer builds and operates the project for a concession period, after which the asset is transferred to NTPC.
• Shared/Hybrid Model: Project is implemented with shared investment, ownership, and/or operational responsibilities between NTPC and the developer.

Intellectual property rights for the core technology will remain with the technology provider. However, the intellectual property generated during pilot or utility-scale implementation may be co-owned with NTPC, depending on technology readiness levels and funding arrangements.

Last month, NTPC floated an EPC tender to set up 2,670 MWh of battery energy storage systems (BESS) at nine of its thermal power stations.

Earlier, NTPC Green Energy had invited bids for the EPC of 80 MW/320 MWh BESS at Kerala State Electricity Board’s Pothencode and Sreekantapuram substations.