New Delhi, April 12 (HS): The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) of India, under the Ministry of Power, has approved Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for six Hydro Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs) totaling approximately 7.5 GW. This achievement signifies a milestone in India’s commitment to advanced long-term energy storage solutions and was accomplished in a record time during 2024-25. The projects include Upper Indravati (600 MW) in Odisha, Sharavathy (2,000 MW) in Karnataka, Bhivpuri (1,000 MW) and Bhavali (1,500 MW) in Maharashtra, MP-30 (1,920 MW) in Madhya Pradesh, and Chitravathi (500 MW) in Andhra Pradesh. The successful outcome results from the cooperative endeavors of PSP developers and appraising agencies, including CWC, GSI, and CSMRS.

To expedite the appraisal process, CEA implemented various measures, including the creation of the “Jalvi Store” portal for transparency, streamlining DPR submissions with checklists, and implementing initiatives to enhance efficiency. Looking forward, CEA aims to approve at least 13 PSPs totaling 22 GW in 2025-26, largely commissioning them by 2030, thus significantly enhancing energy storage capacity, ensuring grid reliability, and supporting India’s renewable energy objectives.

The private sector’s active participation has led to a potential PSP capacity exceeding 200 GW. Currently, India has only 3.5 GW of operational capacity, but with two upcoming projects of around 3,000 MW, expectations are for around 50 GW by 2032. There are eight projects under construction (10 GW total) while DPRs for three projects (around 3 GW) have received concurrence, with 49 additional projects (66 GW) under survey and investigation, which are to be finalized in two years. Hydro PSPs play a crucial role in energy transitions by storing excess electricity for peak demand, presenting long-term investment opportunities for developers.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar