The Central Electricity Authority (CEA), on July 2026, issued a communication inviting stakeholder comments on the proposed Safety Audit framework for Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Plants under the Central Electricity Authority (Safety Requirements for Construction, Operation and Maintenance of Electrical Plants and Electrical Lines) (Amendment) Regulations, 2022. Stakeholders have been requested to submit comments on the draft documents via email by July 28, 2026.
The initiative has been issued pursuant to Regulation 12 of the 2022 Amendment Regulations, which mandates that all generating stations undergo an external safety audit every two years by an accredited third party, with the audit report to be submitted to the CEA. The Authority may also verify such reports through physical site inspections, and the audits are required to include the minimum safety checks prescribed under Schedule IV of the Regulations.
To facilitate uniform implementation of safety audits for BESS plants, the CEA has prepared three draft documents comprising a sample BESS Safety Audit Report format (Annex-1), a BESS-specific technical audit checklist (Annex-2), and the minimum audit procedure (Annex-3). The Authority has invited comments from industry stakeholders to refine these documents before finalization, with the objective of strengthening the safety and operational reliability of Battery Energy Storage System installations.
