Pumped storage emerges as the backbone of grid reliability

ANDRITZ is at the forefront of modernising pumped storage technology to meet the challenges of renewable intermittency and rapid load fluctuations.

- Neelav Samrat

With India's peak demand reaching 250 GW, how is ANDRITZ advancing turbine design (Francis, Kaplan, Pelton) to deliver higher efficiency across a wide range of variable heads and enhance grid flexibility?

With India's peak power demand surpassing 250 GW, ANDRITZ is driving advanced turbine innovations across its Francis, Kaplan, and Pelton portfolios to boost efficiency and grid flexibility. Optimised hydraulic designs, CFD-driven digital twins, and fixed-speed concepts enable high performance even under fluctuating heads and partial loads. Francis turbines feature enhanced runner and guide-vane geometries for broader operating ranges. Kaplan units, on the other hand, leverage precision blade-pitch regulation and fast-acting governors for agile load response. At the same time, Pelton designs incorporate refined bucket profiles and erosion-resistant materials to sustain long-term efficiency. Coupled with smart automation and Metris DioMera-based analytics for real-time monitoring and predictive control, these advancements empower hydropower plants to deliver rapid frequency regulation, smoother integration with renewables, and greater overall grid stability across India's evolving energy landscape.

What technological innovations is ANDRITZ bringing into pumped storage systems—such as variable-speed pumped turbines or advanced control systems—to handle rapid load fluctuations and renewable intermittency?