India identifies over 200 GW pumped hydro storage potential, 8 GW under construction
The update was shared during a Consultative Committee meeting of the Ministry of Power, chaired by Union Minister for Power and Housing Affairs Manohar Lal. The meeting, held on August 4, focused on India's energy storage roadmap and future energy security. It was attended by Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy Shripad Yesso Naik, MPs from the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, senior ministry officials, Central PSUs, and experts from the Central Electricity Authority.
According to the Ministry, India already has an installed capacity of about 6.4 GW of
pumped storage projects
(PSPs). The Minister said the development of PSPs is being supported through various policy measures including full waiver of Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) charges for projects whose construction is awarded by June 2028.
The Ministry also highlighted that under its Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme, ₹9,160 crore has been earmarked to support 43 GWh of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). This is being positioned as one of the largest BESS initiatives globally.
The Minister said that promoting renewable energy with energy storage systems is necessary to ensure reliable supply by storing excess renewable generation for use during peak demand. He added that the government is committed to reducing the emissions intensity of GDP by 45 per cent from 2005 levels and achieving 50 per cent of installed capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030.
Members of the committee appreciated the VGF scheme and the role of smart meters in improving service and reducing losses. They also praised the use of BESS for storing surplus renewable energy for use at other times of the day. The Union Minister instructed officials to take necessary steps to incorporate the suggestions made by members.
In his closing remarks, Minister of State Shripad Yesso Naik said India had already achieved 50 per cent of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil sources, five years ahead of the 2030 target. He emphasized the role of Energy Storage Systems (ESS) in enabling a reliable and flexible power system across generation, transmission, distribution, ancillary services, and electric mobility.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
14 minutes ago
- Mint
Bill aimed at boosting coastal shipping gets Parliament's nod
The Coastal Shipping Bill, 2025, aimed at boosting domestic participation in maritime trade, got parliamentary approval on Thursday as the Rajya Sabha cleared it through voice vote amid continued protests by opposition lawmakers demanding a discussion on the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. The legislation, passed by the Lok Sabha on 3 April, will now go for the Presidential assent to become a law. The Coastal Shipping Bill aims to regulate vessels moving along the Indian coast and eases compliance for domestic ships as the country looks to ensure supply-chain security. The Bill will consolidate and amend the law relating to the regulation of coastal shipping, promote coastal trade and encourage domestic participation. It will also ensure that the country's fleet of coastal ships grows and coastal shipping picks up. Replying to a debate on the Bill, Union minister of ports, shipping, and waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said the Bill is a major reform initiative by the government that will unlock the full potential of the country's vast and strategic coastline. The ministry targets increasing coastal cargo traffic to 230 million metric tonnes by 2030. Under the legislation, coastal waters mean the territorial waters of India, along with adjoining maritime zones. Territorial waters extend up to 12 nautical miles from the coast (about 22km). The adjoining maritime zones extend up to 200 nautical miles (about 370km). The Bill seeks to regulate all types of vessels, including ships, boats, sailing vessels, and mobile offshore drilling units, whether self-propelled or not. It does away with licences for Indian-owned ships. The Bill requires the Union government to prepare a National Coastal and Inland Shipping Strategic Plan within two years of the commencement of the Act.
News18
23 minutes ago
- News18
Govt takes various measures to check road mishaps: Gadkari
Agency: PTI New Delhi, Aug 7 (PTI) The government has taken various measures to check road mishaps, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said, while seeking the participation of the general public to eradicate this 'social problem". The minister also said 100 road safety audits have been conducted across various locations in the country, and he will hold a press conference to share the details of it after the Parliament session gets over. 'Road accident is a social problem. I accept that the success we got in other areas, we could not get here (road accidents)," the Minister for Road Transport and Highways said, addressing an industry event in the national capital. Around 5 lakh accidents occur in India (annually) and around 1.80 lakh people lose their lives to such incidents, Gadkari said. 'I request the public to follow traffic rules and drive safely. If you see a red light, stop. Wear a helmet while driving two-wheelers," he said, replying to a question about whether there are ways to reduce the number of accidents in the country. As part of efforts to improve road safety, the government took several steps. It brought 6 airbags in four-wheelers, an electronic braking system in two-wheelers, and thirdly increased the penalty. 'But fourth is related to the public. Public awareness should be there," he noted. The minister also said that projects worth around Rs 2 lakh crore have already been awarded, and the target is to take the number to Rs 5 lakh crore before March next year. The aim is to award projects worth Rs 10 lakh crore annually in the future. Citing a study, Gadkari said the cost of logistics has also come down from 16 per cent earlier on account of improved road infrastructure in the country. Efforts are on to bring it down to the level of 9 per cent by December this year. PTI ABI ABI BAL BAL view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Hindu
44 minutes ago
- The Hindu
BJP delegation meets Union Minister over raising Almatti Dam height to 524 m
Taking exception to an objection raised by the Maharashtra government to Karnataka's move to raise the height of the Almatti dam to 524 m from 519 m under the second phase of Upper Krishna Project, a delegation of BJP MPs from the State, led by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, met the Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil in New Delhi on Thursday. The delegation apprised the Union Minister of the factual situation and said that the move to raise the dam height is being unnecessarily opposed by the Maharashtra government. Terming the opposition condemnable, they told the Minister that as per the order of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal, increasing the height of the Almatti dam is Karnataka's right. Later, addressing media persons, party MP Basavaraj Bommai said that consequent to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis leading a delegation of MPs to the Union Water Resources Minister opposing the State's move to increasing the height of Almatti dam, a BJP delegation, led by Mr. Joshi, met Mr. C.R. Patil and also Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna to convey that Maharashtra's objections to raising the dam's height are unwarranted and motivated. Mr. Bommai said that the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal II has approved raising the height of the Almatti dam to 524 m. 'Prior to this, a joint survey by the Centre and three State governments was conducted, including a hydrological study, which concluded that raising the dam will not cause flooding. Even during the 2005 floods, the Central Water Commission stated that there will be no flooding in Sangli and Kolhapur due to the dam. Therefore, Maharashtra's objection is unwarranted. And, it seems to stem from ill intent,' he said. Mr. Bommai said that the tribunal's order is equivalent to a Supreme Court decree and the right of Karnataka to raise the height of the dam as per the tribunal's order has been clearly communicated to the Union Minister. The government will act in accordance with the court order as the issue of gazette notification is pending before the Supreme Court, he said. The former Chief Minister said that the Union Minister told the delegation that nothing will be done outside the purview of the law. Mr. Bommai said that he will also urge the State government to use its legal resources to ensure that the matter is heard by the Supreme Court at the earliest so as to get the gazette notification published. The BJP delegation comprised Govind Karjol, P.C. Gaddigoudar and Ramesh Jigajinagi.
