Pakistan regulator makes battery storage mandatory for 800 MW renewables auction

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority approved amendments to the wheeling auction process, letting the Independent System Operator require BESS alongside new renewable IPPs. Dawn reports the auction covers a notional 800 MW of wind and solar capacity and is part of Pakistan’s long-delayed move toward a more competitive power market. The government decided in July to make storage mandatory for bidders after grid planners flagged supply-balancing risks. For developers, the decision turns storage from an optional add-on into a core qualification for Pakistan’s next renewable procurement round.