France-based energy company EDF has announced plans to explore the development of a 5 GW pumped hydro storage facility in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE.

The proposed facility is designed to store energy for up to 12 hours, a critical feature for ensuring grid reliability as renewable energy increasingly contributes to the energy mix.

The move is part of the company’s commitment to advancing energy storage solutions and supporting the UAE’s clean energy transition.

Luc Koechlin, CEO of EDF Middle East, announced the plan during the Ras Al Khaimah Municipality Department Energy Summit. She noted that the proposed plant has immense transformative potential for enhancing the UAE’s renewable energy infrastructure.

“This initiative aligns with the UAE’s ambitious climate goals and aims to provide reliable and sustainable energy storage solutions capable of stabilizing electricity supply for the long term.”

This development builds on EDF’s prior involvement in the region, including its work on Dubai’s Hatta pumped-storage hydroelectric project. With a capacity of 250 MW and 1,500 MWh of storage, the AED1.42 billion (~$387 million) project is expected to be operational by the first quarter of 2025.  Construction of the project is now over 94% complete.

The 5 GW pumped hydro storage project underlines the growing role of pumped-storage technology in energy systems worldwide, particularly in regions like the UAE, which are seeking innovative ways to meet peak energy demands while reducing dependency on fossil fuels.

India has also been promoting pumped storage projects to overcome the challenge of intermittency of renewable energy. The Ministry of Power recently modified the provision of budgetary support for hydroelectric and pumped storage, with a total outlay of ₹124.6 billion (~$1.48 billion). The ministry will support projects of a cumulative hydroelectric capacity of 31 GW, including 15 GW of pumped storage capacity from the financial year 2024-25 to 2031-32.