Overview
- The International Hydropower Association released its World Hydropower Outlook on June 23–24, 2026, reporting that global hydropower capacity reached 1,469 GW in 2025 with a record 11.7 GW of pumped storage added that year.
- Pumped storage capacity has passed 200 GW worldwide and a development pipeline now lists 243 GW under construction and about 621 GW across planning stages, which the IHA says positions pumped storage as the main form of large‑scale long‑duration energy storage.
- China accounted for more than 40% of 2025 hydropower additions and is driving the pipeline with over 300 GW under construction, including roughly 60 GW proposed for the Yarlung Zangbo (Motuo) complex that would reshape regional power and water dynamics.
- India has formal plans to build up to 100 GW of pumped storage by 2035–36 and the Central Electricity Authority estimates national pumped‑storage potential at about 288 GW, with new competitive bids and incentive measures already under way.
- The IHA warns that financing shortfalls, slow permitting, grid transmission limits and climate‑driven drought and flood risks still constrain projects and that changes to market rules, permitting and finance will determine how fast pumped storage can scale and affect power costs and local water management.