NHPC, Andhra Pradesh govt partner for 6-8 Gw pumped storage projects

The JV, named ANGEL, has been assigned two PSPs by the Andhra Pradesh government with a total capacity of 2 Gw

India’s largest state-owned hydropower producer, NHPC Limited, has partnered with the Andhra Pradesh government to build pumped storage projects (PSPs). NHPC, known for operating some of India’s largest hydropower projects, is diversifying into PSPs to expand its geographical reach and broaden its energy portfolio, senior officials said. The total capacity of these projects could reach 6-8 Gw, officials said. 

 

The joint venture, named ANGEL (APGENCO NHPC Green Energy Company), has been assigned two PSPs by Andhra Pradesh government with a total capacity of 2 Gw. R K Chaudhary, NHPC's chairman and managing director, said that the ministry of corporate affairs has approved the formation of ANGEL. “Initially, the Andhra government had assigned two projects of 2 Gw to ANGEL. They have assigned five more projects,” Chaudhary said.

 

These PSPs would also host solar power projects. "The Andhra government has agreed to provide land near the PSPs for solar power plants," Chaudhary said. "The solar power from these plants would be utilised for pumping up the water into the storage project,” he said. NHPC is also in talks with other states, Maharashtra, Tripura, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, to expand its PSP portfolio to 15-16 Gw, Chaudhary said. “There's a possibility of planning PSPs in existing dams. We are working in Madhya Pradesh’s Indirasagar and Omkareshwar dam to build PSP. The Gujarat government has requested NHPC to provide technical assistance for Sardar Sarovar dam and help in operating the 1.2 Gw of PSP there,” he said.

 

PSPs have recently received policy push with the Centre including this technology for several existing schemes and new financial sops for green energy. In the last Union Budget, the finance minister had said that the strategy towards energy transition would include a policy for pumped hydro storage and small modular nuclear reactors which would be made in India.

 

Pumped storage hydropower is a type of hydroelectric energy storage, which utilises water stored in reservoirs at different elevations to generate electricity on demand, balancing energy supply during peak and off-peak periods Unlike large-scale batteries, which are unviable due to high cost, PSPs offer an efficient alternative. Last year, the Union Cabinet approved Rs 12,461 crore for infrastructure development supporting hydropower and PSPs projects.