India's First Variable Speed Pumped Storage Plant (VSPSP) Begins Operations in Uttarakhand's Tehri | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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India's First Variable Speed Pumped Storage Plant (VSPSP) Begins Operations in Uttarakhand's Tehri

Posted 05 Jun 2025

2 min read

Tehri Hydro Development Corporation India Limited (THDCIL) announced start of commercial electricity supply from first unit (250 MW) of 1 GW Tehri Pump Storage Plant located on the Bhagirathi River.

Comparison diagram of open-loop and closed-loop pumped storage hydropower systems.  The left side shows the open-loop system, where the lower reservoir is connected to a naturally flowing water source. Water flows between the upper and lower reservoirs through a tunnel containing a turbine/pump and generator/motor housed in a powerhouse.  The right side shows the closed-loop system, which operates between two isolated reservoirs not connected to natural water bodies. It uses similar infrastructure: a tunnel, powerhouse, turbine/pump, and generator/motor to circulate water and generate electricity.  Captions explain that open-loop systems are connected to natural water features, while closed-loop systems are not.
  • VSPSP is a hydroelectric power plant that uses variable speed technology to adjust the speed of the turbines and pumps, offering greater flexibility and efficiency than traditional PSPs.

What is Pumped Storage Plant?

  • It is a configuration of two water reservoirs at different elevations that can generate power as water moves down from one to the other (discharge), passing through a turbine.
  • Principal of Operation: 
    • It uses principle of gravitational potential energy to store and generate electricity.
    • It is a type of hydroelectric long duration energy storage.
  • Working: 
    • When the demand for electricity is low and there is abundant renewable energy available from wind or solar sources this excess energy is used to pump water to upper reservoir. 
    • During periods of high electricity demand, the stored water is released back down to the lower reservoir through turbines, generating electricity.
  • Types: PSP can be characterized as open-loop or closed-loop (refer diagram).

Status of pump-storage Hydropower in India

  • Installed Hydro Pumped Storage Project capacity: In India it is approximately 4.8 GW (February 2025). 
    • Around 175 GW of pumped hydro storage capacity is installed worldwide as of 2022, with leading countries being China, followed by Japan, and the United States.
  • Tags :
  • Pumped Storage Plant
  • VSPSP
  • Pump Storage Hydropower in India
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