India’s power surplus remains underutilised due to limited capacity tie-ups: Manohar Lal Khattar
In India, excess renewable power is sitting idle because of limited ways to store and use it.
Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar told MPs on Monday that pumped‑storage projects (PSPs) could lock this green energy until clouds roll in or the sun goes down.
At a meeting in Pinnapuram, Andhra Pradesh, the minister highlighted how PSPs act like giant batteries, pumping water uphill during sunny days and releasing it to generate electricity when demand spikes. He also suggested installing floating solar panels on PSP reservoirs to cut evaporation losses.
The minister urged state governments to speed up PSP development by granting sites, allocating water, and clearing permits quickly. He also asked MPs to talk with states about removing charges such as green‑energy cess, water taxes, and reservoir lease fees – steps that could accelerate construction.
India’s nationwide PSP potential is about 224 GW. Currently, ten PSPs totalling 7 GW are already online, another ten with 12 GW are under construction, and 56 more projects—about 78 GW—are in planning or development stages.
Policy support includes new guidelines that simplify site allocation, offer exemptions from free‑power and local‑area‑development‑fund obligations, and a 25‑year waiver of inter‑state transmission charges for projects approved before June 30, 2028.
With these moves, India aims to turn its power surplus into reliable, clean electricity for consumers all year round.
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