At the International Forum on Pumped Storage Hydropower, one of the most anticipated sessions, “Innovating for Grid Flexibility: New Technology Showcase”, highlighted how pumped storage hydropower (PSH) is evolving to meet the demands of renewable-dominated power systems.

The session was co-moderated by Prof. em. Dr. Anton Schleiss, Coordinator of ETIP HYDROPOWER, together with Matteo Bianciotto, Policy and Research Director at the International Hydropower Association (IHA), which is also a partner of ETIP HYDROPOWER. Their moderation reflected ETIP HYDROPOWER’s active role in guiding Europe’s hydropower innovation agenda.

Innovation at the heart of PSH

The debate demonstrated that although PSH is a mature and proven technology, it is constantly adapting to address new challenges. Experts exchanged views on variable speed technology, battery–turbine hybridisation, hydraulic short circuit solutions, plant digitalisation, and design and construction challenges.

Case studies and perspectives

The panel brought together a wide range of international expertise:

• Alexander Speckle, Member of the Board of Directors at TIWAG
• Parveen Nanda, Executive Vice President at Greenko
• Elena Vagnoni, Head of Projects Group, PTMH, EPFL
• Romain Pellegrino, Chief Commercial and Strategy Officer, Hydropower, GE Vernova
• Danilo Moresco, Global Business Line Manager, ABB

Opening the session, Alexander Speckle presented the Kühtai 2 Pumped Storage Plant in Austria, which expands an existing facility to cover winter electricity shortages. He explained how the project integrates variable speed machines and a new reservoir to provide around 0.2 GWh of additional storage. He also underlined that more than €100 million have been invested in environmental mitigation to secure stakeholder trust.

During the debate, Romain Pellegrino stressed that hydropower “remains crucial to balance variable renewables” and warned that regulatory frameworks in Europe are not keeping pace with system needs. Elena Vagnoni shared findings from the XFLEX-HYDRO project, noting that digitalisation and real-time optimisation can “increase efficiency, reduce fatigue, and extend equipment lifetime.” Danilo Moresco emphasised ABB’s investment in innovation, highlighting the role of digital twins, cloud-based architectures, and AI, while underlining the need for “collaboration across utilities, startups, and universities.”

From India, Parveen Nanda presented the Pinnapuram Integrated Renewable Project, the world’s first large-scale combination of 4.5 GW of wind, solar, and PSH under a single grid connection. He explained that hybrid approaches, including batteries and advanced sensors, were essential to keep costs manageable while providing flexibility.

Looking ahead

The session confirmed that pumped storage is far from a “done and dusted” technology. From digitalisation and hybridisation to new partnership models, innovation is reshaping the sector worldwide.

By co-moderating this high-level debate, ETIP HYDROPOWER reaffirmed its leadership in advancing hydropower innovation in Europe, while connecting with global pioneers shaping the clean energy transition.