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The Parliamentary Committee on Public Undertakings (CoPU) has recommended that the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) accord the highest strategic priority to its planned 20,000 MW pumped storage project (PSP) 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)
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