Karnataka’s Energy Minister K J George announced the state government plans to implement the Sharavathi pumped storage project at a cost of Rs 2,000 crore.

The project aims to generate approx. 2,000 MW of electricity using the existing water resources of the Sharavathi river, without disrupting its flow. This initiative is part of Karnataka’s longterm vision to address potential power shortages over the coming decades. Currently, the Sharavathi hydropower facility produces around 1,000 MW, and the new project will increase capacity to about 3,000 MW for public consumption.

The government has assured that environmental protections will be strictly followed, with no evictions planned. The project will comply with all regulatory norms, including clearances from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Efforts will be made to preserve the local ecosystem by planting vegetation along the pipeline passing through forest land.