India’s Pumped Storage Revolution: Greenko, Adani, JSW to Lead 51 GW Push by 2032

India is undertaking a massive transformation in its energy storage landscape with a planned expansion of pumped storage hydropower capacity from less than 5 GW to 51.24 GW by 2032. Key players such as Greenko, Adani Green Energy, and JSW Energy will spearhead nearly two-thirds of these projects, marking a strategic shift to stabilise the power grid amidst rising renewable energy adoption.

Why in News?

The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has revealed that India plans to build 51.24 GW of pumped storage hydropower capacity by 2032. The bulk of this—almost two-thirds—will be developed by Greenko, Adani Green, and JSW Energy. This move comes at a time when India seeks reliable storage solutions to integrate more solar and wind energy into the national grid.

Key Highlights

• Current Installed Capacity: Less than 5 GW
• Planned Capacity by 2032: 51.24 GW (Over tenfold increase)
• Under Construction: 10 GW, including 3 GW to be completed in FY 2025-26
• States Leading the Effort: Andhra Pradesh (16 GW) and Maharashtra (13 GW)

Top Developers

• Greenko: 13.2 GW (25%)
• Adani Green: 11.4 GW (22%)
• JSW Energy: 7.7 GW (15%)

What is Pumped Storage?

• Pumped storage hydropower is a type of gravity-based energy storage using two reservoirs at different elevations. Water is pumped uphill during low demand periods (using excess solar power) and released downhill to generate electricity during peak demand.

Current and Upcoming Projects

• Greenko: 1,680 MW project at Pinnapuram, Andhra Pradesh (Sept 2025)
• Adani Green: First 500 MW near Chitravathi dam (Expected by 2027)
• THDC: 1,000 MW project at Tehri, Uttarakhand (Oct 2025)
• TANGEDCO: 375 MW project at Kundah, Tamil Nadu (Dec 2025)

Challenges

Long gestation (≈5 years) due to,

• Environmental clearances
• Complex civil construction
• BESS (Battery Energy Storage Systems) are quicker to deploy but depend heavily on China for battery components.

Strategic Importance

• Pumped storage remains the dominant energy storage method globally, accounting for over 90% of installed capacity.
• India’s total potential is 176 GW, with 40% located in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.
• Provides economic benefits, as returns (IRR) are better than traditional solar/wind projects.