Pinnapuram Power Play: India Accelerates Pumped Storage Future

On 17 November 2025, the Ministry of Power convened a key meeting in Pinnapuram, Andhra Pradesh, to deliberate on the future of pumped storage projects (PSPs) in India.

Chaired by Union Minister of Power Manohar Lal, the discussions centred on the critical role of PSPs in storing surplus renewable energy and balancing electricity demand during non-solar hours. The Minister also proposed the deployment of floating solar projects on PSP reservoirs to mitigate evaporation losses.

The government outlined several policy measures to accelerate PSP development, including dedicated guidelines for project implementation, exemptions from charges such as the Green Energy cess, and a 25-year waiver of inter-state transmission charges for eligible projects. Additional support includes budgetary allocations for associated infrastructure and the issuance of guidelines for tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) for energy storage procurement.

The meeting also highlighted major sectoral milestones, notably the commissioning of the 1680 MW Pinnapuram PSP and the 500 MW Tehri PSP, underscoring India’s progress in strengthening its energy storage and renewable integration capabilities.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.