India to achieve 100 GW pumped storage capacity by 2035: CEA report
The Central Electricity Authority has carried out Resource Adequacy Studies for all states up to 2034-35
India is set to achieve its target of 100 gigawatts (GW) of pumped storage capacity by 2035-36, strengthening the country's clean, secure and sustainable energy future, according to a report released by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) said on Friday.
The report stated that non-fossil based installed capacity is likely to increase by 500 GW by 2030, 701 GW by 2035 and 2,187 GW by 2047.
In addition, the CEA has carried out Resource Adequacy Studies for all states up to 2034-35. The studies found that long-term storage of six hours would be required to integrate higher quantum of renewable energy beyond 2030.
India is progressing towards a clean energy transition, guided by its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets, to reduce the emission intensity of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 45% by 2030, get to 50% of installed capacity from non-fossil fuel sources creating a 2.5-3 billion tonne carbon sink by 2030, and achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2070.
The target of achieving 50% of installed capacity from non-fossil fuel sources was met in July 2025 itself, five years ahead of stipulated timeline.
Based on the CEA projections, total installed capacity of Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs) is expected to reach 87 GW by 2033-34, with an average annual capacity addition of 9 GW.
Accordingly, the installed PSP capacity is projected to cross 100 GW by 2035-36 under the present scenario. However, with increasing potential especially under off-stream closed-loop PSPs with gestation period of around 4 years, the commissioning may get accelerated during later years.
With the rapid growth of variable and intermittent renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, the country's power system is witnessing increasing requirements for flexibility, balancing power, and long-duration energy storage to ensure reliable, resilient and secure grid operation.
In this context Pumped Storage Projects have emerged as a critical enabler, offering proven, clean, large-scale energy storage solutions that support renewable integration, provide grid inertia and enhance overall system stability.
