NTPC Terminates Rs 413 Crore BESS Contract at Mouda
NTPC has terminated a battery energy storage system (BESS) contract valued at Rs 413 crore at its Mouda facility, with GR Infraprojects Limited (GRIL) cited as the counterparty, following a default by the contractor. Three outlets — Millennium Post, Sarkaritel.com and Rediff MoneyWiz — reported the development on 19 September 2026. The contract termination adds to the list of project setbacks tracked in India's power sector.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Client | NTPC |
| Contractor | GR Infraprojects Limited (GRIL) |
| Project | Mouda BESS (Battery Energy Storage System) |
| Contract Value | Rs 413 crore |
| Action | Contract terminated over default |
| Reported | 19 September 2026 |
Contract Value and Reporting
Two of the three outlets — Sarkaritel.com and Rediff MoneyWiz — placed the contract value at Rs 413 crore. Millennium Post reported the termination without specifying a rupee figure in its headline. No further breakdown of scope, timelines or the specific nature of the default is available from the headlines retrieved.
The Mouda plant is an existing NTPC facility. The BESS component would have added energy storage capacity alongside the thermal generation assets at the site. The termination means the storage contract will need to be re-awarded or restructured before that capacity can be commissioned.
Where This Sits in India's Thermal Power Project Pipeline
Projects India tracks 1,245 live projects in the Thermal Based Power sub-sector across India. Four projects were added to this tracked universe in the last 90 days, indicating a steady but measured pace of new project entry.
Of the 1,245 tracked projects, 500 are at the Under Approvals stage — the largest single group — followed by 193 Completed projects and 141 at Construction Started. Notably, 134 projects carry a Cancelled status and a further 81 are on Hold, underscoring that a meaningful share of the pipeline faces execution risk at any given time. This termination at Mouda falls broadly in line with that pattern.
By geography, Odisha leads with 132 tracked thermal power projects, followed closely by Chhattisgarh at 131, Madhya Pradesh at 100, Andhra Pradesh at 97, and Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra each at 95. Maharashtra — where the Mouda facility is located — is among the more active states in this sub-sector by project count.
Recent Large Thermal Projects Tracked by Projects India
To give context to the scale of activity in the sub-sector, several large projects are currently at advanced stages. JSW Energy Limited's thermal power plant at Salboni, Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal, valued at Rs 16,000 crore, is at Construction Started stage. Mirzapur Thermal Energy (UP) Private Limited's coal-based unit at Dadri Khurd, Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, is valued at Rs 18,300 crore and is Under Approvals. Damodar Valley Corporation's Raghunathpur project in West Bengal, at Rs 11,000 crore, has also reached Construction Started.
These projects represent significant procurement and contracting activity across civil, electrical and mechanical disciplines. Suppliers and contractors active in this space can view the full tracked project database for up-to-date stage and location information.
What this means for suppliers and contractors
The termination of the Mouda BESS contract creates a direct re-tendering opportunity. Once NTPC moves to re-award the scope, battery storage system suppliers, balance-of-plant contractors and civil works firms with relevant credentials will have cause to monitor procurement notices from NTPC closely. Projects India currently shows zero open tenders in the Power Projects sector, meaning no replacement tender has yet appeared in the public domain as of the date of reporting.
More broadly, the 134 Cancelled and 81 On-Hold projects within the Thermal Based Power pipeline represent a pool of work that may return to market or be restructured. Contractors assessing where to direct business development resources should note that Maharashtra sits alongside the most active thermal power states by project count, suggesting that procurement activity in the region is likely to continue even as this particular contract is reset.
Firms tracking NTPC's procurement pipeline and the wider Power Projects sector in India should watch for a fresh notice of invitation to tender for the Mouda BESS scope in the coming months.
Frequently asked questions
Why did NTPC terminate the Mouda BESS contract?
Three outlets reported on 19 September 2026 that NTPC terminated the Rs 413 crore BESS contract at Mouda with GR Infraprojects over a default by the contractor. No further detail on the nature of the default was available from the headlines retrieved.
How much was the NTPC Mouda BESS contract worth?
Sarkaritel.com and Rediff MoneyWiz both reported the contract value at Rs 413 crore. Millennium Post reported the termination without citing a specific figure in its headline.
Who was the contractor for the NTPC Mouda BESS project?
GR Infraprojects Limited, also referred to as GRIL, was the contractor for the BESS contract at NTPC's Mouda facility, according to two of the three outlets that reported the termination on 19 September 2026.
How many thermal power projects are tracked in India?
Projects India tracks 1,245 live projects in the Thermal Based Power sub-sector. Of these, 500 are Under Approvals, 141 are at Construction Started, 134 are Cancelled and 81 are on Hold, reflecting a wide range of execution stages.
