India's Ambitious Push for Hydro Pumped Storage

The Indian government has outlined an ambitious plan to significantly boost the country's hydro pumped storage projects, targeting an annual addition of 13 gigawatts (GW) to reach a total capacity of 50 GW by 2032. This was revealed by Ghanshyam Prasad, Chairperson of the Central Electricity Authority, during the 'Conference on Energy Storage - Driving the Clean Energy Transition' held in the national capital.

Currently, India has a pumped hydro capacity of 4.7 GW. Prasad emphasized that from this year onwards, the country aims to add approximately 3 GW annually. However, starting from the fiscal year 2028-29, this annual addition is expected to jump to between 10 GW and 13 GW. This growth will lead to a substantial increase in gigawatt-hours being integrated into the national grid, enhancing both grid stability and clean energy storage.

The move marks a significant leap in India's clean energy strategies. As part of the efforts coordinated by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, this development will position hydro pumped storage as a cornerstone of India's clean energy and grid stabilization initiatives by the year 2032.