New Delhi: India has laid out a formal pathway to develop 100 GW of hydro pumped storage projects (PSPs) by 2035–36, positioning long-duration storage as a core pillar of the country’s electricity system as renewable capacity accelerates. The roadmap has been prepared by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and released at a two-day Chintan Shivir organised by the Ministry of Power at Parwanoo, Himachal Pradesh, on Friday. The report was released by Minister for Power Manohar Lal Khattar.
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The CEA said the rapid expansion of solar and wind has fundamentally altered grid requirements, increasing the need for flexibility, inertia, balancing power and long-duration energy storage.
“With the rapid growth of variable and intermittent renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, the Indian power system is witnessing increasing requirements for flexibility, balancing power, and long-duration energy storage to ensure reliable, resilient, and secure grid operation,” the report noted.
It added that pumped storage projects support frequency regulation, voltage control, spinning reserve and black-start capability, acting as a safety net against sudden fluctuations in renewable output and helping prevent blackouts .
The report projects a steep rise in national storage requirements as renewable capacity expands. According to the CEA, energy storage demand on an all-India basis is expected to rise to 62 GW by 2029–30, 161 GW by 2034–35 and 476 GW by 2046–47.
“Studies have found that long-term storage (6 hrs) would be required for integrating higher quantum of RE beyond 2030,” the report said, noting that battery energy storage systems are more suitable for short-duration needs, while PSPs are critical for long-duration storage.
A key policy signal in the roadmap is the prioritisation of off-stream closed-loop pumped storage projects, which are not located on rivers and rely on artificial reservoirs. “Efforts are being made to identify off-stream PSPs located away from rivers, for faster execution and minimal environmental impact,” the CEA said.
Such projects offer lower ecological impact, fewer land acquisition and rehabilitation challenges, faster statutory clearances and reduced hydrological risk, the report said, adding that their typical gestation period is around 3.5–4 years.
Despite the scale of ambition, the report highlights a wide gap between operational capacity and the development pipeline. As of December 31, 2025, India has 10 pumped storage projects with about 7 GW of installed capacity in operation, while another 10 projects totalling 11.6 GW are under construction.
Projects with DPRs already concurred by the CEA but yet to start construction account for 9.6 GW, while 54 projects with nearly 75 GW capacity are under survey and investigation, indicating significant future buildout potential.
Overall, India’s assessed pumped storage potential has climbed to about 267 GW, driven largely by the identification of new off-stream closed-loop projects by developers.
The roadmap identifies western and southern states as the main hubs for pumped storage development. Maharashtra has the highest potential at over 56 GW, followed by Andhra Pradesh with 32.7 GW, while Gujarat, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu also feature prominently in the pipeline.
The report notes that private developers dominate projects under survey and investigation, reflecting growing investor interest in long-duration storage as renewable penetration increases.
The CEA contrasted pumped storage with battery-based systems, highlighting that PSPs have long service lives of around 100 years, rely largely on domestic manufacturing of turbines and electro-mechanical equipment, and avoid disposal challenges associated with batteries.
“PSPs are clean, domestically available, proven at large MW-scale,” the report said, linking their development to the broader push for Atmanirbhar Bharat and reduced import dependence.
The roadmap integrates transmission system planning for evacuation of power from PSPs and outlines measures to improve project viability, including tariff-based competitive bidding guidelines for storage procurement, waiver of interstate transmission charges, and steps to streamline project approvals.
The CEA said the report is intended to serve as a reference point for utilities, developers, equipment manufacturers and policymakers as India prepares for a power system dominated by renewables.
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“This report will serve as a useful reference… and provide a structured framework for achieving the objective of 100 GW or more of pumped storage capacity by 2035–36,” it said, adding that pumped storage will be essential to building a clean, secure and resilient electricity grid.
