Seeking to continue its promotion of pumped storage hydro (PSH) projects, the Maharashtra government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Tata Power to develop two large PSH projects with a combined capacity of 2,800 megawatts (MW) in the state. The company proposes to invest Rs 13,000 crore in this endeavour.

According to Tata Power, a 1,800-MW PSH project will be set up at Shirawata, Pune district and 1,000-MW one at Bhivpuri, Raigad district. This will generate direct and indirect employment of 6,000. Tata Power already has a 150-MW-capacity PSH unit at its Bhira Hydro Generating Station. When installed in 1997, it was the single largest such unit in India at the time of its commissioning. The state government has its maiden PSH unit of 250MW at Ghatghar. Tuesday’s MoU is yet another big investment from a power major in PSH.