OHPC awards LoI to MEIL for 600 MW Upper Indravati PSP

Odisha Hydro Power Corporation Limited (OHPC) has awarded the Letter of Intent (LoI) to Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Limited (MEIL) for the Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) of the 600 MW Upper Indravati Pumped Storage Project at Ranibahal in Kalahandi district, Odisha.

The project, estimated to cost Rs 3,394 crore, will comprise four generating units of 150 MW each and use the existing reservoir of the 600 MW Upper Indravati Hydro-Electric Project. It is expected to generate approximately 1,040 million units annually and provide storage capacity to support grid flexibility and greater integration of variable renewable energy.

LoI awarded

The LoI was awarded in the presence of Shri Vishal Kumar Dev, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary (Energy) and Chairman-cum-Managing Director of OHPC. Directors of Operation, Finance, HR and Projects, along with senior officials from the Energy Department and OHPC, were also present.

The award moves the project towards the EPC stage and represents a key step in the development of one of Odisha’s major new hydroelectric projects in recent decades.

Project design

The Upper Indravati Pumped Storage Project has been designed as an off-stream, open-loop pumped storage scheme. It will use the existing reservoir of the operational 600 MW Upper Indravati Hydro-Electric Project as part of the storage configuration.

The proposed 600 MW facility will have four reversible generating units of 150 MW each. Major underground and civil works include a 2.392 km head race tunnel, a surge shaft with a diameter of 17 metres and an underground powerhouse complex.

A new lower reservoir will be created through the construction of a 530-metre-long rockfill dam with a clay core. The configuration will allow water to be moved between the reservoirs, storing electricity during periods of lower demand or surplus generation and supplying power when required by the grid.

The project is expected to improve grid stability and flexibility as Odisha adds more solar and other renewable energy capacity. Pumped storage can absorb surplus electricity during periods of high renewable generation and return it to the grid during peak demand, helping balance variations in generation and consumption.

Land requirement

Development of the project will require 164 hectares of land, predominantly forest land. Around 227 families across four villages are expected to be affected by the development.

Once completed, the Upper Indravati Pumped Storage Project will add 600 MW of storage-based hydro capacity to Odisha’s power system while leveraging the existing Upper Indravati hydro infrastructure.

Photo credit: Energy Odisha/X