| World news India India outlines plan to reach 100GW of pumped storage capacity by 2036
India has released a national roadmap targeting the development of 100GW of pumped storage hydropower capacity by the 2035-36 financial year, positioning pumped storage as a central pillar of the country’s long-duration energy storage strategy. The roadmap, prepared by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) under the Ministry of Power, responds to the rapid expansion of solar and wind capacity and the growing need for grid flexibility. India’s non-fossil installed capacity crossed 50% of total capacity in 2025, five years ahead of schedule, increasing the demand for storage and balancing resources. According to the plan, cumulative pumped storage capacity is
projected to reach approximately 87GW by 2033–34 and exceed 100GW by 2035–36. Annual capacity additions are expected to average around 9GW over the next decade, with larger commissioning volumes anticipated after 2030 as projects move from planning to construction.
As of December 2025, India has 10 pumped storage projects in operation (see bottom) with a combined capacity of about 7.2GW. Another 10 projects totalling 11.6GW are under construction. Projects that have received regulatory concurrence but have not yet begun construction account for nearly 9.6GW, while more than 74GW of capacity is at the survey and investigation stage. The total assessed pumped storage potential in the country has
increased sharply in recent years, reaching around 267GW in 2025. This growth is largely driven by the identification of off-stream closed- loop projects, which now represent more than three-quarters of the national potential. The roadmap highlights a strategic shift toward off-stream closed- loop pumped storage systems. These projects operate independently of river flows and are designed to minimise environmental and social impacts. The CEA notes that closed-loop projects typically face fewer land acquisition challenges, shorter construction timelines of around four years, and lower regulatory complexity compared to conventional river-based schemes. Developers and state utilities have increasingly proposed closed- loop systems in plateau and hilly regions, particularly in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh. Maharashtra alone accounts for more than 56 GW of identified potential, the highest among Indian states. The roadmap is aligned with India’s national resource adequacy framework, which projects a sharp rise in storage requirements as renewable penetration increases. Studies by the CEA estimate that total energy storage capacity across all technologies will need to grow from around 62GW by 2029-30 to more than 160GW by 2034-35, and
up to 476GW by 2046-47. Pumped storage is expected to supply most of the long-duration storage requirement beyond 2030. Pumped storage plants are expected to provide six hours or
more of discharge duration, along with ancillary services such as frequency regulation, spinning reserve, and black-start capability. The government views these services as essential for maintaining grid stability as coal capacity retires and renewable generation becomes the dominant source of new capacity additions. The roadmap outlines several measures to accelerate project
development. These include tariff-based competitive bidding for storage procurement, waivers of interstate transmission charges for pumped storage projects, financial support for enabling infrastructure, and streamlined approval processes for detailed project reports. Environmental guidelines also differentiate closed-loop pumped storage from conventional hydropower projects to simplify permitting where river impacts are minimal. The government has also identified opportunities to repurpose
exhausted mines and existing reservoirs for pumped storage development, aiming to reduce land acquisition challenges and construction costs. If implemented as planned, the pumped storage expansion would significantly increase India’s ability to manage peak demand and integrate higher shares of renewable energy. The roadmap indicates that project commissioning will accelerate in the early 2030s as multiple large-scale schemes move from investigation to construction. The CEA has stated that the capacity targets may be revised upward if additional projects progress faster than expected, particularly in the off-stream closed-loop segment. From the report, the 10 pumped storage projects in operation as of 31 December 2025 are listed as follows ● Tehri (Uttarakhand) [750MW] ● Ghatgar (Maharashtra) [250MW] ● Purulia (West Bengal) [900MW] ● Srisailam Left Bank (Telangana) [900MW] ● Kadamparai (Tamil Nadu) [400MW] ● Nagarjuna Sagar (Telangana) [705.6MW] ● Bhira (Maharashtra) [150MW] ● Kadana (Gujarat) [240MW] ● Sardar Sarovar (Gujarat) [1,200MW] ● Pinnapuram (Andhra Pradesh) [1,680MW]
The report states that Kadana and Sardar Sarovar are not yet operating in pumping mode but are included in the operational installed capacity total
Lesotho
Polihali Dam reaches full-section fill design elevation
Construction of the Polihali Dam in Lesotho, undertaken by Powerchina, continues to progress steadily. On December 6, the project reached its first major contractual milestone ahead of schedule, with the dam’s full-section fill attaining the design elevation of EL. 1977, corresponding to a dam height of 65m. The achievement marks the transition of southern Africa’s largest water diversion and control project into its peak construction phase. A delegation of more than 40 officials visited the site to observe the milestone, including
Mr. Kepa Keqe, District Administrator of Mokhotlong, principal chiefs, and members of parliament. Representatives from the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority and the international supervision team also participated in the visit.
During the inspection, the delegation
reviewed ongoing concrete placement works for the intake tower and the mechanized embankment filling operations. Mr. Keqe noted the strategic importance of the Polihali Dam as a national infrastructure project, highlighting its role in securing water supply and supporting hydropower development for both Lesotho and South Africa.
The Polihali Dam is the centerpiece of Phase II of the multi-phased Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), a bi-national programme established by agreement between the governments of Lesotho and South Africa to harness water resources in the Lesotho highlands for water supply and hydropower. Phase II includes construction of the concrete-
faced rockfill Polihali Dam, a gravity transfer tunnel linking the dam to the existing Katse Reservoir, and advance infrastructure such as access roads, power and telecommunications networks. Once complete, the Polihali Reservoir is expected to hold about 2.3 billion m3
of water and increase the annual water transfer capacity
www.waterpowermagazine.com | February/March 2026 | 5
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