Hydropower in India’s Sustainable Energy Framework: Opportunities and Challenges

As the world’s third-largest consumer of energy, India faces the dual challenge of meeting its rapidly rising electricity demand while staying committed to a low-carbon development path, with a net-zero emissions target set for 2070. Hydropower, which currently provides about 12.5% of the country's electricity, remains a vital part of India’s renewable energy mix. Although the country’s total hydropower potential is estimated at 145,320 MW, only around 52,000 MW has been developed so far—leaving a vast reserve of untapped clean energy. This paper critically examines the evolving role of hydropower in India’s energy transition, assessing both its strengths and the obstacles hindering its growth. On the positive side, hydropower offers long-term economic benefits, supports grid reliability, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and aids rural electrification and job creation. However, the sector faces significant challenges, including high capital costs, environmental damage, displacement of communities, and technical issues like sedimentation and aging plants. The research also explores the policy landscape—highlighting frameworks such as the Electricity Act (2003), the Hydropower Policy (2008), and recent efforts promoting pumped storage and financial incentives. It underscores the need for sustainable development through improved environmental safeguards, inclusive rehabilitation practices, access to green finance, and technological modernization. The paper concludes that hydropower can play a crucial role in India’s clean energy future if growth is managed carefully—by emphasizing smaller, regionally appropriate projects, upgrading outdated infrastructure, and fostering inclusive, transparent governance to balance development with ecological and social integrity.