Guj company to build 3 PSH power plants of 5,700 MW in Maharashtra

Torrent Power Ltd. Gujarat will build three 5,700 MW Pumped Storage Hydro (PSH) projects in Maharashtra for about Rs 27,000 crore, an official said. This is a huge development for the state power sector.

In the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the Maharashtra government and TPL, Ahmedabad, signed an MoU for the project, which is anticipated to create about 13,500 employment over the project's five-year building phase.

TPL Executive Director Jayesh Desai, the projects will be built at Karjat (Raigad), where a 3,000 MW PSH will be installed, and two units in Pune at Maval (1,200 MW) and Junnar (1,500 MW).

As per TPL, all of the locations are off-stream, and the three PSH projects are designed to offer daily energy storage for a minimum of six hours. According to the power major, the PSH is a proven and affordable technology providing reliable, flexible, and dispatchable electricity.

It is a set up of two water reservoirs at various altitudes. TPL explained that water is pumped from the lower reservoir to the upper reservoir when there is a surplus of power and at the lowest cost, and in the opposite direction when there is a large demand for electricity and the cost of power is high.

It also noted that the grid's share of intermittent renewable energy was rising quickly, necessitating storage for load management and satisfying peak needs. The PSH is a better option for energy storage than a battery since it is less expensive, has a lifespan of 40 years, can store energy for extended periods of time (6–10 hours), and can operate many cycles throughout the day.