Six Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) Imported To Strengthen National Power Grid

COLOMBO (News 1st) - Six additional Battery Energy Storage Systems have been imported into the country.

This is under the country’s first commercial-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project.

The newly imported systems are part of a 160-megawatt total BESS project. 

The Ministry of Power and Energy stated that these systems will be installed near substations in areas including Mahawa, Vavuniya, Chunnakam, Kilinochchi, Anuradhapura, and Polonnaruwa.

Each system can store up to 40 megawatts of electricity during the daytime.

Under this system, up to 10 megawatts of electricity can be released into the national grid during peak demand hours at night.

The total electricity capacity provided by the six new systems is 60 megawatts.

The project is being implemented with an investment of over Rs. 40 billion and expected to enhance the stability of the national power grid, increase the use of renewable energy, and supply electricity to consumers at a lower cost.

The current cost of producing one unit of electricity using fuel, which is around Rs. 115, could be reduced to Rs. 30 through this technology.

According to the Ministry of Power and Energy the project would also help save approximately USD 2.6 million in foreign exchange spent monthly on fuel-based power generation.