India Sets 100 GW Pumped Storage Target by 2035–36 in New CEA Plan

Overview

• CEA pegs total investment at about Rs 5.8 lakh crore, with roughly 9 GW of new capacity to be added each year at around Rs 6 crore per MW.
• Storage needs are estimated at 62 GW by 2029–30 and 161 GW by 2034–35 as non-fossil capacity expands.
• India currently operates 10 pumped storage projects totaling 7,175.6 MW, providing the baseline for the scale-up.
• Installed PSP capacity is projected to reach 87 GW by 2033–34 and exceed 100 GW by 2035–36, with commissioning potentially accelerating under closed-loop designs.
• Pumped storage provides up to about eight hours of discharge, fast ramping and a lifecycle near 100 years, supporting renewable integration and emerging loads such as electric vehicles.