BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC) has awarded the letter of intent (LoI) to Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd (MEIL) for construction of the 600 MW Upper Indravati Pumped Storage Project (PSP) at Ranibahal in Kalahandi district.
The project, estimated at around `3,160 crore, had received final approval from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) in August 2024. The LoI is for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to begin on-site development. The PSP is targeted for commissioning by 2030.
Designed as a four-unit pumped storage facility, the project will have four generating units of 150 MW each. It will feature an underground powerhouse comprising four reversible pump-turbines along with an underground transformer hall, step-up transformers and a gas-insulated (GI) switchyard.
The reversible turbine technology will enable the project to store surplus electricity during off-peak hours and generate power during periods of high demand, enhancing grid stability.
The Upper Indravati PSP is one of the three major pumped storage projects being developed by OHPC with a combined planned capacity of 1,700 MW. The other two projects are the 500 MW Balimela PSP and the 600 MW Upper Kolab PSP at Bariniput.
Sources in the Energy department said the project has a target to generate 918.97 million units of electricity per year. As per the environment impact study report by WAPCOS Ltd, a central government undertaking, the project will require around 151.93 hectare land, comprising 107.6 hectare of forest land and 44.33 hectare of non-forest land, including government and private holdings.
Energy department officials said the project is expected to play a critical role in improving grid flexibility as the state scales up renewable energy capacity.
Pumped storage plants are increasingly being viewed as essential infrastructure for balancing intermittent solar and wind generation by storing excess power and supplying it during peak demand.
Describing the project as a landmark initiative, the Energy department said the Upper Indravati PSP would strengthen Odisha’s clean energy ecosystem, improve power reliability and support the state’s long-term transition towards a sustainable and resilient electricity system.