Pumped hydro storage of 16 GW capacity under construction: Power Ministry

Eleven pumped storage projects with a combined capacity of 15,870 MW are under construction and are scheduled for commissioning between December 2026 and May 2032

Eleven pumped storage projects (PSPs) with an installed capacity of 15,870 megawatt (MW) are currently under construction, Shripad Yesso Naik, Minister of State in the Ministry of Power, said in a written reply in Parliament on Monday. The government is targeting these projects to be commissioned between December 2026 and May 2032.

 

Additionally, six PSPs with an aggregate installed capacity of 8,140 MW have been appraised by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and are yet to be taken up for construction, he added.

 

For timely environmental and statutory clearances for PSPs, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has issued specific terms of reference for proposals involving off-stream PSPs, wherein the collection of baseline data for one season (other than the monsoon) is prescribed for off-stream closed-loop PSPs, while the collection of baseline data for two seasons (pre-monsoon and post-monsoon) is prescribed for off-stream open-loop PSPs.

   

It has also extended the provisions relating to surveys in forest areas for mining projects to other development projects, including hydel projects and PSPs. It has increased the number of boreholes for undertaking surveys and explorations in forest areas for mining and development projects, including hydel projects and PSPs.

 

Regarding the detailed project report (DPR) of PSPs, the CEA has revised its guidelines, reducing the timeline for concurrence of DP₹from 90 days to 50 days for all types of PSPs. Further, clearance of inter-state aspects is not required for PSPs, Naik stated.

 

In August last year, the government revised the capital expenditure limit for schemes related to setting up hydro generating stations to ₹3,000 crore, requiring the concurrence of the CEA. It also exempted off-stream closed-loop pumped storage schemes from the requirement of CEA concurrence.

 

PSPs provide long-duration energy storage, balancing power and ancillary grid services such as frequency regulation, voltage support and black-start capability, thereby supporting grid stability and reliability.