India Strengthens Renewable Power Management and Grid Stability with Commercial Rollout of 250 MW Tehri Variable-Speed Pumped Storage Unit

Power Minister Sh. Manohar Lal has officially commenced the Commercial Operation Date (COD) of the third 250 MW unit of the 1,000 MW Tehri Variable Speed Pumped Storage Plant (PSP), marking another milestone in India’s clean energy transition. The announcement was made virtually from New Delhi on Monday.

Developed by THDC India Limited (THDCIL), the Tehri project is now the largest variable-speed pumped storage facility implemented by a Central Public Sector Enterprise.

Speaking at the virtual ceremony, the Power Minister described the commissioning as a significant step towards strengthening grid stability and enhancing renewable energy integration. He noted that the project aligns with the government’s long-term goal of building a resilient and sustainable power ecosystem, supporting the vision of a developed India by 2047.

Minister of State for Power, Sh. Shripad Y. Naik, commended THDCIL’s leadership in advancing pumped storage technology, highlighting its growing role in India’s energy security framework. Power Secretary Sh. Pankaj Agarwal also congratulated the organisation for commissioning multiple major infrastructure projects in 2025.

The plant’s variable-speed technology is expected to improve round-trip efficiency and flexibility, enabling better balancing of intermittent renewable power sources such as solar and wind.

Senior officials, including Shri Ghanshyam Prasad, Chairperson of the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), Sh. Gurdeep Singh, CMD of NTPC, and Sh. Sipan Kumar Garg, CMD of THDCIL, also attended the event.

The project reinforces India’s push toward advanced hydropower systems and accelerates efforts to modernise the national grid in support of a clean energy future.