Megha Engineering to Invest 21,000 Cr for 4,000 MW Pumped Storage Projects in Maharashtra
Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Limited (MEIL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Department of Water Resources, Government of Maharashtra for developing two pumped hydro storage projects in Maharashtra. These projects will have a collective capacity of 4,000 MW. The company will be investing about Rs. 21,100 crore for developing these Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs).
MEIL’s Pumped Storage Projects to Come up in Two Districts
One of MEIL’s PSPs, namely Kamod Pumped Storage Project, will be developed in Nandurbar district of Maharashtra. While the other PSP, Ghosla Pumped Storage Project will be constructed in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district of Maharashtra.
These Pumped Storage Projects will be developed using Build, Operate and Maintain (BOM) method and are expected to generate around 2,500 job opportunities collectively.
According to Megha Engineering & Infrastructures’ press release, the Ghosla Pumped Storage Project is expected to be completed in a period of about three and half years, whereas the Kamod PSP is expected to be completed in five years.
During the signing of MoU, Mr. R.V.R Kishore, President of MEIL said, “These projects will not only address Maharashtra’s energy needs but also drive the state’s development. We are proud to contribute to national progress by supplying power through the grid across India”.
Brief Overview of MEIL’s Upcoming PSPs in Maharashtra
These two upcoming Pumped Storage Projects will be developed as off-stream projects*. MEIL’s upcoming PSPs are “…planned to provide a minimum of 6 hours of energy storage on a daily basis”. These projects will include newly constructed reservoirs. A powerhouse containing reversible pump turbines, generators, and related support systems will be situated between these two reservoirs.
The company’s press release mentioned that water for these projects will be sourced from existing reservoirs or dams for initial filling.
*In pumped storage projects, off-stream refers to facilities that utilize separate reservoirs rather than being directly connected to a river or natural water source.
India’s Pumped Hydro Storage Capacity: Insights from TERI’s January 2024 Report
According to The Energy and Resources Institute’s (TERI) report dated 15th January 2024, India’s operational pumped hydro storage capacity stands at 4.7 GW from eight pumped storage projects. “CEA [Central Electricity Authority] has estimated the on-river pumped storage hydro potential in India to be about 103 GW”, as per the report.
About Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd.: Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd. was established in 1989 as Megha Engineering Enterprises. The company started off with building pipelines for municipal projects, and has since grown to be a multi-sector infrastructure company.
