MP Allots 525 MW Of Pumped Storage Project At Indira Sagar To NHDC

The Renewable Energy department of Madhya Pradesh (MP) allotted a 525 Megawatt (MW) of Pumped Storage Project (PSP) to the NHDC Limited, a joint venture of the National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) and the Madhya Pradesh government.

As per the mandate, the PSP would be constructed using the Indira Sagar reservoir and Omkareshwar reservoir under the Indira Sagar Project. Officials at NHDC told Saur Energy that the project would help in maintaining peak power demand, energy storage and maintaining grid frequency in the state. 

“The project will be constructed by NHDC near Indira Sagar. With increased renewable energy through this pumped storage project, the energy needs of the state can be met during peak hours (morning and evening). Through this pumped storage project, 1226.93 million units of energy will be generated in peak hours. The estimated cost of this project will be Rs. 4,200 crore,” a statement from NHDC said. 

PSPs are used as giant energy storage systems to maintain the peak power demand, help in giving a boost to the variable renewable energy intermittency. Two different reservoirs at two different heights under the PSP model are used to store energy. NHPC in its latest investors call on Q4 results also had said that NHDC completed the pre-feasibility study of the PSP project for 525 MW. 

When the power demand is less, water from the lower reservoir is lifted to the upper reservoir to store the surplus energy. When the power demand is higher, water is moved from the upper water body to the lower one to move the turbine and supply electricity. The  

NHDC said that there is a potential of 96.5 GW of pumped storage projects in the country, out of which MP has a potential of 11.2 GW.  At present, two power stations of NHDC Limited, Indira Sagar Power Station (1000 MW) and Omkareshwar Power Station (520 MW) are in operation in Khandwa district of the state. 100 percent of the power produced from them is supplied to Madhya Pradesh.  

NHDC is also working towards the construction of an 8 MW solar project in the historic city of Sanchi which is set to be the solar city of MP soon. It has also grabbed projects for the development of an 88 MW floating solar project on Omkareshwar reservoir. With its full 300 MW of floating solar capacity, this project is set to be one of the largest floating solar park of India.