CEA notifies BESS safety rules, effective April 2027

The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has notified mandatory safety requirements for battery energy storage systems (BESS) through an amendment to the CEA (Measures relating to Safety and Electric Supply) Regulations, 2023. The amendment was published in the Gazette of India on March 30, 2026, and will take effect on April 1, 2027.

Scope and technical design requirements

Titled the CEA (Measures relating to Safety and Electric Supply) Amendment Regulations, 2026, the amendment introduces a new Chapter XA comprising 14 regulations, 122(A) through 122(N). These provisions apply to BESS installations connected at voltage levels exceeding 650 volts. Systems at 650 V and below will follow separate standards to be specified later.

The regulations require BESS to be designed with two-fault tolerance, enabling safe operation or shutdown even after two independent faults. Power conversion systems must align with the battery chemistry and support fully automatic, unattended operation. Battery management systems are required to monitor and record voltage, temperature, thermal runaway, and current at the cell, module, and rack levels. Systems must trigger audio-visual alarms if parameters exceed original equipment manufacturer limits and automatically stop charging or discharging if temperatures breach recommended thresholds.

Safety, monitoring, and compliance measures

Each battery container is required to have explosion protection with forced ventilation and automated louvers. In case of ventilation failure, systems must shut down to maintain safe flammable gas concentrations. Containers must also be equipped with automatic fire suppression systems and hazard detection for smoke, gas, heat, and flame.

For physical security, installations must have fencing of at least 1.8 metres, along with closed-circuit television, motion or break-glass sensors, and alarm systems linked to monitoring and response mechanisms.

The regulations mandate an independent third-party fire safety audit within three months of commissioning. BESS owners are required to submit the audit report to the Electrical Inspector during inspection. The Directorate General of Fire Services (DGFS) will issue training guidelines for fire safety officials within the same timeframe.

The CEA will publish a list of applicable standards within three months of commencement. For technologies not covered under existing standards, the authority may issue separate technical specifications.

The principal regulations were originally issued on June 8, 2023, following a public notice process under the Electricity Act, 2003. The draft amendment was released for public comments on June 20, 2025.

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