Singareni Collieries to set up Telangana’s first 500 MW pumped storage power plant in Ramagundam

The 500 MW project will cost Rs. 3,000 crore and utilise solar power and existing mine water infrastructure for sustainable energy generation.

Peddapalli: As part of its business diversification strategy, Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) is venturing into an innovative energy initiative by setting up Telangana’s first pumped storage power plant (PSP) at the site of the decommissioned Medipalli opencast coal mine in the Ramagundam-1 area.

The 500 MW project, estimated to cost Rs. 3,000 crore, will utilise the existing mine sump as a lower reservoir and include the construction of a new surface reservoir. SCCL has formally issued a Letter of Award to WAPCOS Limited, a government enterprise, to prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR) after completing initial feasibility studies.

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Pumped storage plants operate by using solar energy to pump water to a higher elevation during the day. This stored water is then released at night to flow back down through turbines, generating electricity.

The Medipalli mine features a 157-metre-deep sump holding a significant volume of water throughout the year. A surface reservoir with a similar capacity will be constructed nearby. During the day, solar power will be used to pump water into the surface reservoir, which will be released at night to spin turbines and produce power.

CMD N Balram, who reviewed the project with directors and general managers at Singareni Bhavan, Hyderabad, said the proposed surface reservoir would be approximately 2,350 metres long and 23 metres deep, with a total storage capacity of 9.64 million cubic metres. Of this, around 8 million cubic metres would be actively used for energy generation.

He said the project would serve as a pilot for future pumped storage initiatives and expressed confidence in SCCL’s ability to execute it successfully. With a projected operational lifespan of 40 years, the plant is expected to offer strong financial returns.

WAPCOS will conduct a comprehensive DPR study covering geological, geotechnical, hydrological, and civil design aspects, as well as electrical and mechanical configurations, environmental impact, safety measures, construction timeline, cost estimates, and market potential for the generated power. Once the DPR is completed, SCCL will float tenders for construction.