• Supply to the national grid by September

The construction of commercial-scale battery energy storage systems planned at 16 power transmission substations across the country is nearing completion.

The battery systems were brought into Sri Lanka through the Colombo Port in three shipments during May and June. 

The construction of a project near the Anuradhapura Substation is approximately 85 per cent complete, according to officials.

The systems will store excess electricity generated by solar power plants during the day and supply it back to the national grid at night, depending on the demand.

Officials say that the projects will help improve grid stability and reduce the amount of electricity generated by diesel power plants during nighttime hours.

Each project will have a capacity of 10 megawatts. The control and management of the systems will be handled by National System Operator Limited, which comes under the Energy Ministry, while maintenance will be carried out by the respective companies.

Procurement is also underway to install similar battery storage systems at a further 23 substations.

Officials involved in the projects said that the stored electricity could begin supplying the national grid as early as the beginning of September.