Around Rs 5.8 trillion of investment will be required to achieve 100 GW of hydro pumped storage capacity by 2035–36, according to the Central Electricity Authority. The authority said an average of 9 GW of hydro pumped storage projects would need to be added every year to meet the target.

CEA estimates the average cost of developing pumped storage projects at around Rs 60 million per megawatt. Based on this cost trajectory, sustained annual capacity additions will be critical to meeting the long-term storage requirements of India’s power system.

As of December 31, 2025, the country had 10 operational pumped storage projects with a combined installed capacity of 7,175.6 MW. In its report titled Roadmap to 100 GW of Hydro Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs) by 2035–36, the authority projected that installed pumped storage capacity could reach about 87 GW by 2033–34 and cross the 100 GW mark by 2035–36.

CEA noted that these projections are based on current development trends. However, commissioning could accelerate in later years as more off-stream, closed-loop pumped storage projects are taken up. Such projects typically have a gestation period of around four years and offer significant potential for faster capacity addition.

Highlighting the importance of pumped storage, the authority said these projects are essential for the smooth integration of the rapidly growing share of renewable energy, particularly variable and intermittent solar and wind power, into the national grid. Pumped storage is also expected to support emerging demand drivers such as electric vehicles, helping to ensure a reliable, secure and high-quality power supply.

Pumped storage projects can provide gigawatt-scale energy storage with long-duration discharge of up to around eight hours per day. They also offer operational flexibility through frequent start-stop capability and fast ramping, making them well suited to balancing renewable-heavy grids.

With an operational life of around 100 years, supported by periodic renovation and modernisation of electro-mechanical systems, pumped storage projects are viewed as durable and sustainable assets for India’s long-term energy transition.