China just activated the Fengning Pumped Storage Power Station Phase 2 — the world's largest single pumped hydro installation, storing 60 gigawatt-hours of electricity between two mountain reservoirs in Hebei Province and discharging at 3,600 megawatts during Beijing grid demand peaks.
The Fengning complex uses two reservoirs separated by 425 meters of vertical elevation, with 12 reversible Francis turbine-pump units in an underground powerhouse in solid granite. During grid surplus, all 12 units pump simultaneously consuming 3,600 megawatts to transfer water uphill. During peak demand, all 12 generate at full output within 90 seconds from standstill.
At 60 gigawatt-hours, Fengning stores more energy than the combined total of all grid-scale battery storage deployed worldwide as of 2023 — making pumped hydro at massive scale the most cost-effective solution for long-duration grid balancing.
Source: State Grid Corporation of China, China Huaneng Group, Hebei Provincial Energy Bureau, 2025
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