The Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) of India has awarded a 10 GWh capacity for Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) battery manufacturing to Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme. This decision was made following a competitive bidding process involving seven bidders, under a global tender to set up large-scale ACC manufacturing facilities in India.
The PLI scheme aims to boost domestic manufacturing, reduce import dependency, and position India as a leader in ACC battery production. The bids received for this scheme were evaluated through a Quality & Cost Based Selection (QCBS) mechanism, where both technical and financial scores were considered. After a transparent evaluation process via the Government of India’s CPP portal, six bidders were shortlisted for financial evaluation.
The bidding companies included ACME Cleantech Solutions, Amara Raja Advanced Cell Technologies, Anvi Power Industries, JSW Neo Energy, Lucas TVS, Reliance Industries, and Waaree Energies. Together, these companies proposed a total manufacturing capacity of 70 GWh. Following the QCBS mechanism, Reliance Industries emerged with the highest combined score and was awarded the 10 GWh capacity. The remaining five shortlisted bidders have been placed on a waiting list according to their ranks. They are – ACME Cleantech Solutions Private, Amara Raja Advanced Cell Technologies Private, Waaree Energies, JSW Neo Energy, and Lucas TVS.
The PLI scheme for ACC battery manufacturing was approved by the Indian Cabinet in May 2021 with a budget of Rs 18,100 crore, targeting a production capacity of 50 GWh. The first round of ACC PLI bidding concluded in March 2022, resulting in the allocation of 30 GWh capacity to three firms, with agreements finalized in July 2022.
Cover Photo: https://heavyindustries.gov.in
