GE Vernova recently secured an order for all units of the Upper Sileru pumped storage power station in Andhra Pradesh, India, consisting of 9 150MW reversible units with a total installed capacity of 1.35GW. The contract covers the entire process from design, manufacturing, installation to commissioning. This is one of the largest pumped storage projects currently under construction in India, with plans to be fully operational by 2030.

Trust Enhancement from Kuda to Xileru

This is not the first handshake between GE Vernova and MEIL.

Previously, both parties had collaborated on the Temirnad Bangkoda project, with GE Vernova delivering four 125MW fixed speed units. The smooth progress of the Kuda project has paved the way for this larger scale cooperation. From 4 to 9 units, from 125MW to 150MW, from fixed speed to reversible - the depth of cooperation and technical complexity have risen synchronously.

The Indian pumped storage market is entering a period of explosive growth. As of the end of 2024, India has put into operation approximately 4.7GW of pumped storage capacity, but is currently planning over 40GW of projects. The 1.35GW capacity in Upper Siluru accounts for almost 30% of the current operational scale. MEIL, as a leading infrastructure group in India, has repeatedly bet on pumped storage, signaling that long-term energy storage is an essential requirement for India's energy transition.

India's power grid's reservoir anxiety

The pain points in India are very real.

The growth rate of wind, solar and photovoltaic installed capacity is leading globally, and the proportion of renewable energy has exceeded 22% in 2024. However, the grid's peak shaving capacity is seriously lagging behind. During the day, there is a peak in photovoltaic output, while at night the load is low. The difference between peak and valley continues to widen, and the rate of wind and solar power curtailment remains high. Pumped storage is currently the most mature large-scale long-term energy storage technology. After the operation of the Upper Sileru power station, it is expected to provide hours of flexible regulation capability for the southern Indian power grid, directly supporting the large-scale grid integration and consumption of wind and photovoltaic power.

Nine 150MW vertical mixed flow units are designed specifically for high head and large capacity scenarios, with high operational flexibility and fast start stop speed, perfectly matching the operating characteristics of the Indian power grid with large frequency fluctuations and drastic load changes.

Not just selling equipment

GE Vernova's strategy is very clear - to build Indian projects with Indian factories.

GE has a research and development center and production base in India, and the localization rate of core components of the unit will be significantly improved. This means shorter delivery cycles, lower logistics costs, and thousands of local job opportunities. The longer-term value lies in talent: the pumped storage operation and maintenance team cultivated during the construction period will become the seed for upgrading the local hydropower equipment industry chain in India. Keywords: Southeast Asian news, pumped storage power station

1.35GW， 9 units, a rising market. The GE Vernova order is not just a project, but also the next decade of energy storage in India.Editor/Cheng Liting