| World news Europe Hydropower industry calls on EU to back pumped storage
Europe’s leading hydropower organisations have urged the European Commission to accelerate support for long-duration energy storage, warning that the continent’s clean energy transition is at risk without action. In a joint statement, the International Hydropower Association (IHA), Eurelectric and major hydropower companies called for policy measures to unlock more than 35GW of pumped storage hydropower projects currently in development across the European Union. The groups said: “To keep the lights on, ensure affordable prices, and reduce dependency on imported fuels or technologies, Europe urgently needs large-scale infrastructure to store electricity when it is abundant and deliver it when needed.” Following from the landmark Paris Pledge on Pumped Storage, former Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, who is now IHA President, brought Eurelectric and a group of companies together to write a formal letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The letter states that wind and solar deployment is increasing rapidly, but the lack of long- duration storage is causing curtailment, price instability, and grid challenges. Pumped storage hydropower (PSH) was described as the proven technology capable of addressing these issues, providing more than 90% of the world’s electricity storage. “Without greater investment in pumped storage, Europe faces
wasted renewable generation, volatile prices, and mounting system risks. With it, the continent can deliver secure, affordable and fully decarbonised electricity,” the letter says. According to industry estimates, the EU will need around 200GW of electricity storage by 2030 and 600GW by 2050. This would require more than doubling current capacity by 2030 and increasing it sevenfold by mid-century.
The letter warns that Europe risks falling behind global competitors. China is currently building more than 90GW of pumped storage, more than the rest of the world combined. The coalition said European and national policymakers must
create clear investment mechanisms, streamline permitting, and introduce financial tools to reduce risk. It also said future legislation should recognise the full system value of long- duration storage. The statement highlights the importance of designing the
European Commission’s proposed Tripartite Contracts to support pumped storage, strengthen European supply chains and ensure energy system resilience. “Pumped storage supports affordability and reduces Europe’s dependence on imported fuels and critical raw materials. It offers a pathway to energy security, industrial leadership, and economic resilience,” it concludes. The letter was signed by the International Hydropower Association, Eurelectric, and leaders of the European hydropower sector: Ana Paula Marques (EDP), Bruce Douglas (Global Renewables Alliance), Daniele Bellini (Edison), Emmanuelle Verger (EDF Hydro), Frederic Sauze (ANDRITZ HYDRO), Frederic Ribieras (GE Vernova), Hörður Arnarson (Landsvirkjun), Isidro Pescador Chamorro (ENEL), Jan Lüder (Voith Hydro), Janice Goodenough (HYDROGRID), Julia Souder (Long Duration Energy Council), Julio Castro (Iberdrola Energía Sostenible España), Karl Heinz Gruber (VERBUND Hydropower), Kristian Ruby (Eurelectric), Malcolm Turnbull (IHA), and Pål Eitrheim (Statkraft). The industry concludes that Europe has led in renewables before and must now lead again, with pumped storage at the core of its energy strategy, stating: “The technology is proven, the pipeline is real, and the moment for action is now.”
Australia Kidston becomes first pumped storage scheme registered in NEM in nearly 40 years The Kidston Pumped Storage Hydro Project in Queensland has become the first new pumped storage facility to be registered in Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM) in almost four decades. The milestone occurred on 18 November 2025, when the project was officially entered into the Australian Energy Market Operator’s Market Management System (MMS), signalling its progression toward commissioning. The registration was announced by Geoff Eldridge, National Electricity Market and Energy Transition Observer at Global Power Energy, in a LinkedIn post. The project now appears in the MMS under two generating units (KIDSPHG1 and KIDSPHG2) and two pumping units (KIDSPHL1 and KIDSPHL2). One generating unit has been publicly listed with a rated capacity of 125MW, and the full configuration is expected to provide 250MW of generation and 250MW of pumping capacity. Located approximately 285km west of Townsville, the Kidston project is being
delivered by Genex Power and is designed to provide up to 2,000MWh of stored energy. The facility repurposes two former open-pit mine voids, transforming legacy mining infrastructure into large-scale renewable energy storage. EnergyAustralia holds full dispatch rights to the facility for up to 30 years under a long-term Energy Storage Services Agreement, with an option to acquire the asset. The Kidston pumped hydro scheme is viewed
as a key development in Australia’s transition to a cleaner and more flexible energy system. It is the first pumped hydro project to enter the NEM since the commissioning of the Tumut 3 scheme in the 1980s..
India
NHPC building eight hydropower projects with 8514MW capacity confirms government NHPC Limited and its joint venture and subsidiary companies are currently constructing eight hydroelectric projects with a combined capacity of 8,514MW, the government told the Lok Sabha last week. Three of these projects, with a capacity of
5380MW, are being implemented directly by NHPC. They include the 2000MW Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project and the 2880MW Dibang Multipurpose Project in Arunachal Pradesh, and the 500MW Teesta-VI Hydroelectric Project in Sikkim. These projects are expected to generate 21,045 million units of electricity. The Subansiri Lower project is scheduled for commissioning in December 2026, the Dibang project in February 2032, and Teesta-VI in September 2029. The remaining five projects, accounting for 3134MW, are being developed through NHPC’s joint ventures and subsidiaries. These include the 120MW Rangit-IV project in Sikkim and four projects in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir – Kiru-II (850MW), Ratle (1,000MW), Kwar (624MW), and Pakaldul (540MW). These projects are expected to be commissioned between April 2026 and March 2028. Separately, NHPC and its joint ventures and subsidiaries have commissioned 23 hydropower projects with a total installed capacity of 7771MW as of October 2025. Power generation from these projects stood at 29,894 million units in 2022–23, 26,056 million units in 2023–24, and 25,194 million units in 2024–25.
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