Maharashtra inks MoU for 1.5-GW pumped-storage hydro with GSC Group

• Maharashtra signed an MoU with Singapore’s GSC Group to develop 1,500-MW pumped storage across Dhule and Nandurbar—adding long-duration flexibility to India’s grid.

The state government of Maharashtra has signed a memorandum of understanding with Singapore-based GSC Group to develop a 1,500-MW pumped-storage hydroelectric project across the Dhule and Nandurbar districts, signaling a major push for long-duration flexibility in one of India’s most industrial states. If realized, the project would act as a multi-hour reservoir for surplus solar and wind, discharging through evening peaks and during grid stress.

Pumped storage remains the world’s most bankable long-duration technology. Using two reservoirs at different elevations, the plant pumps water uphill when power is cheap or excess renewables are available, then releases it through turbines when demand and prices rise. Round-trip efficiencies typically exceed 75%, with lifetimes that can span many decades and provide inertia, voltage support and black-start capabilities unmatched by most battery systems.

The MoU is an early step—detailed feasibility studies, environmental and social impact assessments, land acquisition, water-use approvals and transmission integration plans will follow. Site selection will hinge on topography and hydrology: suitable head, manageable tunneling, limited resettlement, and proximity to strong grid nodes. Modern digital governors and grid-forming controls allow rapid response, while variable-speed turbines can improve efficiency and provide ancillary services more finely.

Why Maharashtra? The state is accelerating solar and wind deployment, and evening ramps are steepening with electrification and industrial growth. Long-duration storage can reduce curtailment, dampen price spikes and lower reliance on gas or diesel peakers, complementing the state’s emerging battery projects rather than competing with them. A balanced portfolio—batteries for seconds-to-hours; pumped storage for multi-hour to daily shifts—offers system resilience across timescales.

Community engagement will be decisive. Pumped storage projects demand careful planning for livelihoods, biodiversity, and downstream flows. Transparent benefit-sharing, local employment, and robust environmental management will be essential to social license and financing.

If GSC and Maharashtra can convert the MoU into permits, contracts and funding, the 1.5-GW scheme would become a cornerstone of the state’s flexibility fleet—turning daytime solar surpluses into dependable evening megawatts for decades.