Torrent Power defended its proposed 3,000-megawatt Karjat pumped storage project in Maharashtra on October 25, 2026, saying all components lie outside the Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary and its eco-sensitive zone. The company rejected claims of tree felling inside the sanctuary and said the project had received environmental and forest-related statutory clearances.
Key Takeaways
- Torrent says the proposed project is about 16 kilometres from Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary.
- The storage facility would supply Maharashtra and help meet electricity demand after solar generation falls.
- The project requires about 233 hectares of forest land, with conservation and compensatory planting measures outlined by the company.
Table of Contents
- Karjat pumped storage location and approvals
- How stored electricity would support Maharashtra
- Forest mitigation and environmental estimates
- Conclusion
Karjat pumped storage location and approvals
Torrent said no project components fall within the sanctuary boundary or its eco-sensitive zone, and no works are proposed near the Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga temple. It described allegations of tree felling inside the sanctuary as based on incorrect information.
The company said the project received Environmental Clearance, Forest Clearance and a Forest Diversion Order after an approximately 18-month statutory process. That process included detailed studies, a public hearing, appraisal by the Expert Appraisal Committee and Forest Advisory Committee, and multiple site inspections.
The location and clearance statements represent Torrent’s response to environmental concerns. Being outside a protected boundary does not remove the separate question of the project’s forest footprint, which the company acknowledged in outlining its mitigation plans.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Projected operating life | Up to 80 years, according to Torrent |
| Projected annual electricity supply | About 6,570 million units |
| Estimated annual coal use avoided | 4.33 million tonnes compared with coal-based generation |
| Estimated annual carbon dioxide emissions avoided | About 5.85 million tonnes compared with coal-based generation |
How stored electricity would support Maharashtra
The U.S. Department of Energy’s explanation of pumped storage describes facilities that use electricity to pump water from a lower reservoir to a higher one, then release it through turbines when demand rises. The process stores energy generated elsewhere rather than creating an independent source of electricity.
Torrent said the Karjat facility would help Maharashtra manage evening demand as solar output declines, supporting grid stability and reducing reliance on coal-fired generation during those hours.
The company’s projected operating life, annual electricity supply and avoided coal use and emissions are estimates, not results from an operating facility. Its stated comparison is with coal-based generation.
Forest mitigation and environmental estimates
Torrent outlined a wildlife conservation plan, catchment-area treatment, compensatory afforestation and long-term habitat management. It plans to plant about 60,000 trees across the green belt, muck-disposal site and other project areas.
The company also said it had handed over 253 hectares of private land to the Forest Department for compensatory afforestation. That land already has about 70,000 trees, with another 30,000 planned.
Torrent estimates that replacing coal-based generation would also reduce sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and mercury emissions, as well as cooling-water use and fly-ash production. Those projected benefits remain distinct from the local biodiversity and land-use effects addressed by its mitigation plans.
Conclusion
Karjat pumped storage remains a proposed project despite the clearances Torrent says it has secured. The company’s statement provides no construction or commissioning date, leaving the delivery timetable unspecified alongside its planned conservation measures.
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