MONETABRIEF – Sri Lanka's National Systems Operator received average prices of 25.72 rupees a kilowatt hour from existing ground mounted solar power firm that responded to a tender to supply energy from batteries in the night, Chairman Pradeep Perera said.
Sri Lanka called limited competitive tenders from exiting ground mounted solar power firms to build and supply 150MW of power through batteries in the night.
"Some parties had bid at lower prices like 20 rupees (a unit), others have bid at 27 rupee levels," Perera said.
"It is the average that is at the 25 rupee level. But we pay on the rates they have bid. If they have bid at 20 rupees we pay at that rate. That is actually a good rate. I think it will fall further in the future."
Bids close to 28 rupees were also believed to be in according to industry analysts.
The first BESS went around 20 rupees a unit. But the tender for existing ground mounted solar plants cannot be compared to the first 160MW/640MWh BESS tender as the basis was different, he said.
The charge calculated for the first 160MW of BESS was not an energy charge as such, but more of a price paid for capacity, he said.
"It is as if the investor leased the battery to us," Perera said. "We make a monthly payment to them for the battery. It is fixed payment. It is not a energy charge. From the ground mounted plants we take energy."
Two publicly listed companies, Windfore and Vidullanka, said a number of bids for their solar plants were believed to be successful. (Colombo/Sept27/2026) (Colombo/Sept27/2030)