China expands 200GW pumped storage pipeline under new law

Total hydropower capacity reached 435.95GW after last year's additions.

China strengthened support for pumped storage hydropower under a new Energy Law enacted in January 2025, as it expands capacity in energy storage development as capacity expansion accelerates.

The law includes provisions to support pumped storage development as China targets 120GW by 2030, with capacity potentially reaching 130GW by the end of the decade.

China remains the dominant driver of global pumped storage development, with more than 200GW of projects under construction or approved.

The policy move follows a year of strong capacity growth, as China added 14.4GW of hydropower capacity in 2024, bringing total installed capacity to 435.95GW, according to the International Hydropower Association (IHA).

Pumped storage accounted for 7.75GW of additions, more than half of new capacity, whilst total pumped storage capacity reached 58.69GW.

Across East Asia and the Pacific, hydropower capacity increased by 15GW in 2024, including 8GW of pumped storage, with pumped storage accounting for a significant share of additions.

Conventional hydropower growth in China has slowed relative to earlier development cycles, with pumped storage emerging as the main growth segment.

The 3.6GW Fengning project in Hebei Province entered operation in 2024 as the world’s largest pumped storage facility.

Governments across the region are integrating hydropower and pumped storage into long-term energy plans to support grid stability and renewable energy integration.

The IHA said hydropower and pumped storage remain central to grid stability, whilst financing constraints, permitting delays, grid limitations, climate variability, and environmental concerns continue to affect project delivery.