Pumped hydro to help decarbonize Indian steelmaker’s operations

Indian renewables developer Oriano has announced the commissioning of the first 211 MWac of solar generation capacity of a 975 MW clean energy project which will be backed by a PHES project.

The PHES site, owned by renewables developer Greenko, will ensure round-the-clock power is supplied by 661 MW of solar capacity and 314 MW of wind power under development by ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India, which wants to decarbonize its steelmaking operations.

Details of the overall project – expected to supply more than 20% of the electricity requirements of the steelmaker’s Hazira plant, in Gujarat – emerged as Oriano announced commissioning of the first slice of solar generation capacity, in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh state.

The final project, which is expected to offset 1.5 million tons of annual carbon emissions by the steelmaker, will transmit electricity from Kurnool to Hazira using India’s interstate electricity transmission system’s 400 kV power lines.

Oriano secured the rights to develop 295 MWdc (211.2 MWac) of the decarbonization project’s solar generation capacity and will provide operations and maintenance services for 354 MWdc of the final solar capacity.

From pv magazine India.