Hydropower is back in the spotlight – and India is aiming to lead the charge.
With bold plans to add 51GW of pumped storage hydropower (PSH) by 2032, the country is fast emerging as a global front-runner in large-scale clean energy storage.
The 2025 World Hydropower Outlook, released today by the International Hydropower Association (IHA), reveals just how quickly momentum is building.
As of early 2025, more than 44.5GW of PSH capacity is in development across India. The Central Electricity Authority approved six major projects totalling 7.5GW this financial year and plans to greenlight at least 13 more by 2026 – unlocking a further 22GW.
Private giants Greenko, Adani Green and JSW Energy are expected to deliver almost two-thirds of the target.
September 2025 will mark a major milestone, when Greenko commissions its 1.68GW Pinnapuram PSH plant – India’s first. Adani Green’s 500MW Chitravathi plant is expected in 2027, with a wave of further projects advancing across multiple Indian states.
India is also deepening regional ties. A new agreement with Bhutan will see the development of two hydropower plants, further cementing the long-standing cross-border energy partnership.
Globally, hydropower capacity grew by 24.6GW in 2024 – the strongest uptick in years. That includes 16.2GW of conventional hydro and 8.4GW of PSH.
China still leads the pack, adding 14.4GW of new capacity, including 7.75GW of PSH. But India’s surge shows that the race is widening.
IHA President Malcolm Turnbull said: “Hydropower is playing an increasingly vital role in the global energy transition… but markets alone won’t deliver what is needed. Continued momentum will require bold policy action… The only resource we lack is time.”
Hydropower now delivers 564TWh across South and Central Asia, with total installed capacity hitting 166.5GW. While no new pumped storage came online in the region in 2024, India’s approvals suggest a dramatic expansion is imminent.
Across the globe, the pipeline is growing fast. The IHA now counts 1,075GW in planned hydropower projects – 600GW of it PSH.
Europe saw generation reach a decade-high 680TWh in 2024 thanks to strong rainfall, and policy momentum for PSH is growing in the EU.
