SJVN Secures First Pumped Storage Project In Mizoram

SJVN recently announced that it received a Letter of Intent (LoI) for the allotment of the 2,400 MW Darzo Lui Pumped Storage Project (PSP) from the Mizoram government. This is the first project of the company in Mizoram.

Th SJVN project is spread across Darzo Nallah, a tributary of the Tuipui River in Mizoram. The estimated cost of the project upon completion is Rs 13,947.50 crores, including IDC & Financing costs at April 2023 price levels.

A recent notification by SJVN before BSE further said that the Darzo Lui PSP is an on-stream closed-loop type pumped storage project. It shared the details of the project. It said, “The project comprises eight units of 300 MW each. The annual energy generation with 95% plant availability is 4,993.20 MU. The annual input energy required for pumping water to the upper reservoir has been estimated to be 6,331.66 MU with 95% plant availability. The project is proposed to be completed within 72 months. To this effect, SJVN and the Mizoram government will sign an agreement within three months.”

PSP Set To Replace Fossil Fuel Dependency 

In a bid to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy and diversify energy sources, the Ministry of Coal in the recent past initiated the use of Pump Storage Projects (PSP) in de-coaled coal mines. This step aims boost energy storage and expedite the utilsiation of solar energy for hydroelectricity, promoting sustainable development in the coal sector. De-coaled mines offer viable sites for PSPs due to the availability of a lower reservoir, water head, and land.

The Coal India Limited (CIL) and NLCIL are conducting feasibility studies on pump storage projects (PSPs). CIL has identified 24 abandoned mines and other sites. Stakeholder consultations are ongoing to finalize business models like Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) and public-provete partnership (PPP), with plans for collaboration with state governments, private players, and research institutions.

Given the ongoing energy transitions in the country, the development of Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs) assumes importance for providing greater inertia and balancing power to the grid. PSPs are also known as ‘giant water batteries’, which is an ideal complement to modern clean energy systems.

Currently, PSPs with aggregate capacity of 2.7 GW are under construction in the county and another 50 GW is under various stages of development. It is projected that PSP capacity is expected to rise from 4.7 GW to around 55 GW by 2031-32.