The Uttar Pradesh government is making concerted efforts across various fronts to establish the state as a leader in the energy sector. With industrial activities surging and record energy consumption levels in the state, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has placed special emphasis on clean energy. The government is not only promoting solar energy, but also advancing hydro-based pump storage projects. Yogi envisions Uttar Pradesh as a hub for pump storage plants, with Mirzapur, Chandauli, and Sonbhadra poised to play key roles in this transformation. Notably, Mirzapur is set to become the largest hub for these plants, with four facilities of varying capacities to be developed. The plant in Sonbhadra, meanwhile, will have the highest energy output, while Chandauli will also host a pump storage plant. The government is progressing to generate 4,730 MW of energy in Uttar Pradesh through six pump storage plants. Notably, all of these projects received clearance in mid-August, and the process of establishing these plants is set to begin soon. Additionally, companies like Acme, Avaada, and East India Petroleum have received in principle approval for more pump storage plants in Sonbhadra, Chandauli, and Mirzapur, with directives from the Yogi government to accelerate the pace of these projects. As part of the governments plan, the first approval under this initiative was granted on May 30 this year for a 1,250 MW hydro pump storage plant in Garhawa, Sonbhadra, to be developed by Aquagreen Engineering Management Private Limited. This off-stream loop pump project will enhance storage capacity by pumping water from the Son river into two reservoirs, with a pump intake well located 4.6 km away from the reservoir. The project will be completed with an investment of Rs 6,100.62 crore. Similarly, a 600 MW hydro pump storage plant in Mubarakpur, Chandauli, was approved on August 8, 2024. To be developed by Acme Urja Two Private Limited, this closed-loop storage hydro project will generate energy through an upper and lower reservoir system, with construction and development costs estimated at Rs 3,544.81 crore. In Mirzapur, the government is advancing efforts to generate 3,480 MW of energy through four pump storage projects, which were approved between June 26 and August 29. Avaada Group will establish a 630 MW plant in Katra at a cost of Rs 4,410 crore. Renew Power will develop two plants—one with a capacity of 600 MW in Kalu Patti at Rs 3,350 crore, and another with 800 MW in Babura at Rs 4,100 crore. Meanwhile, East India Petroleum is working on an 850 MW plant in Babura Raghunath Singh village, Mirzapur, with an investment of Rs 3,946.12 crore. The process of determining the agencies responsible for overseeing these pump storage power projects is also nearing completion, which will further expedite progress on these significant energy initiatives.

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