NHPC should accord top priority to 20,000 MW pumped storage pipeline: Parliamentary panel
New Delhi, August 7
The Parliamentary Committee on Public Undertakings has recommended that the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation accord the highest strategic priority to its planned 20,000 MW pumped storage project pipeline, according to a report tabled in Parliament on August 6.
The committee has also urged the Ministry of Power to expedite site allotments and statutory clearances and establish off-take guarantee mechanisms to help meet the country's pumped storage capacity targets and strengthen grid stability.
"The Committee noted that a generation loss exceeding 3,770 MU over two years was suffered on account of the Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF)-induced shutdown of the 510 MW Teesta-V Power Station," the report said.
The committee recommended that NHPC ensure strict adherence to its June 15, 2026, recommissioning timeline for Teesta-V and submit monthly progress reports to the Ministry of Power.
According to the report, NHPC is developing around 20,000 MW of pumped storage capacity across multiple states and has also been designated as a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Implementing Agency, with 1,500 MWh allocated to it.
"The Committee desired that the Company accord the highest strategic priority to its 20,000 MW Pumped Storage Project pipeline and recommended that the Ministry of Power provide dedicated facilitation, including expediting site allotments, clearance prioritisation and off-take guarantee mechanisms, to ensure that national Pumped Storage Project targets are met in line with grid stability requirements," it said.
The report noted that PSPs, with a round-trip efficiency of 79-80 per cent and a 100-year operational life, are the most cost-effective and environmentally sustainable form of grid-scale energy storage, making them critical for integrating intermittent solar and wind power.
According to the Ministry of Power, India's total PSP potential exceeds 2,80,000 MW, while only 7,100 MW has been installed so far. The Committee emphasized that both PSPs and BESS are indispensable to India's clean energy transition, and that NHPC, given its hydropower expertise and existing reservoir infrastructure, is uniquely positioned to spearhead the country's pumped storage expansion.
The Committee also recommended that NHPC undertake a comprehensive manpower planning exercise aligned with its 10-year capacity addition targets. Apart from this, the Committee commended NHPC for exceeding its mandatory CSR spending, disbursing Rs 109.64 crore in FY25 against the required Rs 82.30 crore across 24 States and Union Territories. It recommended that NHPC adopt an outcome-based assessment framework to measure project-wise impact and publish a dedicated annual CSR report.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Teesta-V shutdown is a serious wake-up call — 3,770 MU lost in two years! That's massive. GLOF events are increasing with climate change, and our infrastructure isn't resilient enough. The June 2026 deadline is good, but NHPC should also think about flood early warning systems at all their projects, not just this one.
20,000 MW pipeline is ambitious, but the real bottleneck is clearances and land allotment. Every infrastructure project gets stuck in bureaucratic red tape for years. If the Ministry of Power really wants to hit targets, they need to set up a single-window clearance system specifically for PSPs. No point giving NHPC goals if the ground conditions don't support execution.
I appreciate NHPC exceeding CSR spending — Rs 109.64 crore is genuine commitment to communities. But the committee's idea of outcome-based assessment is crucial. Money spent isn't the same as impact created. We need to see real progress in education, health, and local infrastructure in project-affected areas, not just big numbers on paper.
The 79-80% round-trip efficiency and 100-year life makes PSPs a no-brainer. But here's my concern: resettlement and rehabilitation of displaced families. Any pumped storage project will require significant land and water infrastructure. NHPC must ensure fair compensation and genuine rehabilitation packages, or we'll see the same protests that plagued earlier hydro projects.
Good to see the committee acknowledging BESS too — 1,500 MWh is a healthy start. But we
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