To accelerate the development of hydro pumped storage projects (PSPs) in India, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has accorded concurrence to two PSPs: 600 MW Upper Indravati project in Odisha and 2,000 MW Sharavathy project in Karnataka.
In addition, the CEA has received numerous proposals for PSPs, totalling around 60 GW, currently under survey & investigation stage. For these projects, detailed DPRs are being prepared. After the DPRs are prepared, the projects will be go for concurrence by the CEA.
The CEA has now revised the guidelines for the preparation of DPRs to fasten the process of setting up PSPs. The revisions include:
- A shortened document checklist for DPR examination.
- Developers can submit the DPR online after completing the first 12 design chapters. The DPR has also been shortened.
- Cost and financial chapters are not mandatory for approval but must be submitted for reference.
- No need for alternative reservoir location plans for off-stream PSPs.
- Developer can submit an undertaking that the DPR aligns with pre-DPR clearances, reducing re-examination time by 4-5 months.
- Early excavation permission process has been streamlined to save 6-8 months in project execution. This is possible as developers can now start their work early.
- Developers must submit investigation reports promptly to enable parallel review activities, saving 1-2 months.
The government has prioritised energy storage systems, particularly PSPs, to ensure energy security. The National Electricity Plan projects 74 GW of energy storage systems, including battery energy storage systems (BESS), by 2031-32. India has a potential of about 176 GW of hydro PSPs, with 4.7 GW operational, 4 GW under construction, 3.6 GW approved, and 60 GW under investigation.
