Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Monday declared that the Sharavathi Pumped Storage Project is indispensable to the state's long-term electricity security, reaffirming the government's commitment to pushing ahead with the project despite ongoing opposition. He was speaking at the 57th Foundation Day celebrations of Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL), held at the Jnana Jyothi Auditorium of Bengaluru City University on Palace Road.

Shivakumar's Stand on the Project

'The groundwork for the Sharavathi Pumped Storage Project had been initiated long ago, but it did not materialise then. Efforts are now underway to implement it, and the required statutory clearances are being obtained. Although some people are raising objections, we will not retreat from a project that is crucial for the state,' Shivakumar said.

The Chief Minister drew a parallel with the Yelahanka gas-based power plant, which faced significant opposition when first proposed by KPCL but was ultimately built and is now operational. He cited this as evidence that the government would not be deterred by public resistance to strategically important infrastructure.

Pavagada Solar Park Expansion

Shivakumar also highlighted the success of the Pavagada Solar Park, noting that farmers were made stakeholders rather than displaced landowners — a model he described as a template for the rest of the country. The park currently generates 2,000 MW of electricity, and farmers in the area have reportedly offered an additional 10,000 acres for expansion. Work on this expansion is expected to begin shortly.

Gruha Jyothi and Agricultural Subsidies

The Chief Minister said the state government provides free electricity to 1.61 crore households under the Gruha Jyothi Scheme, with an annual expenditure of approximately ₹10,000 crore. An additional ₹20,000 crore per year is allocated as subsidy for free electricity to agricultural pump sets. Together, he said, these two programmes result in combined savings of nearly ₹30,000 crore for Karnataka's citizens annually. KPCL, he added, has been central to the scheme's success.

What the Sharavathi Project Involves

The Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydropower Project (SPSHP) is a proposed pumped-storage facility planned along the Sharavathi River in the Western Ghats. It would have an installed capacity of 2,000 MWe using Francis turbines, and if completed, would rank among the largest pumped-storage hydroelectric projects in India.

The project is currently on hold and under review by the Government of India over environmental concerns. According to reports, around 15,000 trees across 57 hectares of land would need to be felled, many of them endangered or threatened species. Environmental activists have opposed the project and have demanded that the Central Government cancel it entirely via gazette notification.

The Environmental Flashpoint

The project sits at the intersection of Karnataka's energy ambitions and the ecological sensitivity of the Western Ghats — a UNESCO World Heritage biodiversity hotspot. Critics argue that the scale of tree-felling poses a serious risk of ecological damage that cannot be offset by the project's power output. The Centre's review has kept the project in limbo, and Shivakumar's remarks signal that the state intends to press forward once statutory clearances are secured.

How the Centre responds to Karnataka's push — and whether environmental clearances are granted — will determine whether the 2,000 MW project moves from blueprint to reality.