The Hydropower Giant: Mapping India’s 345.38 GW Storage Capacity

India has unlocked a massive pathway for its clean energy transition by identifying a total pumped storage hydropower (PSP) potential of 345.38 GW across 320 projects.

According to the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), this total capacity is split between 258 off-stream schemes (representing 288.71 GW) and 62 on-stream schemes (accounting for 56.67 GW). Regionally, the Western Region leads the country with 129.72 GW of potential—spearheaded by Maharashtra at 67.36 GW. It is followed by the Southern Region (97.76 GW), Eastern Region (53.41 GW, including 41.53 GW in Odisha), Northern Region (50.32 GW), and the North Eastern Region (14.18 GW).

Globally, the role of large-scale energy storage is expanding rapidly. Data from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) shows that global installed pumped hydro capacity reached 159.8 GW at the close of 2025, underlining the critical importance of these systems for grid stability.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.