Chennai: India’s pumped storage project pipeline is gathering momentum, with around 24 GW of capacity under construction, appraisal or examination by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).At present, 11 PSPs with a combined installed capacity of 15,870 MW are under construction across the country. In addition, six projects with a total capacity of 8,140 MW have received CEA concurrence or appraisal and are awaiting construction, while one 640 MW project is under examination by the authority, according to details shared in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.Pumped storage projects support renewable energy integration by storing surplus power and supplying it during peak demand. They also provide long-duration storage and critical grid services, enhancing grid stability and reliability.The CEA has drawn up a roadmap to add 100 GW of pumped storage capacity by 2035-36. Alongside PSPs, the government is also promoting Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) to manage renewable energy variability and strengthen grid reliability.The Ministry of Power is supporting the development of about 44 GWh of battery storage through the budget-supported Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme and the Power System Development Fund (PSDF). Under the VGF scheme, Battery Energy Storage Purchase Agreements (BESPAs) have been signed for 12.7 GWh, financial closure has been achieved for 6.54 GWh, and 0.5 GWh has been commissioned. Under the PSDF scheme, Letters of Award have been issued for 22.43 GWh, BESPAs have been executed for 19.65 GWh, and financial closure has been achieved for 5 GWh.However, a recent study by the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council (PMEAC) found that grid-scale battery energy storage deployment remains well below the national target, even as pumped storage has come close to meeting its planned milestone. The council warned that India’s storage deficit remains substantial and must be addressed quickly. It cautioned that rapid renewable energy expansion, without a corresponding increase in storage capacity and other net-load smoothing measures, could heighten stress on the power grid and undermine system reliability.“A large gap still remains, and India’s storage shortfall is, at this stage, primarily a battery shortfall,” the PMEAC study said.
