2024-2025 Program

01.

Pumped Storage Hydropower (PSH) at the Heart of the Energy Transition

The TerraWater Institute firmly believes that pumped storage hydropower (PSH) must play a central role in the energy system of tomorrow. These infrastructures enable large-scale electricity storage in a mature, controllable, and environmentally respectful form, directly addressing the challenges of flexibility and grid reliability in a decarbonized power mix.

PSH facilities are far more than technical add-ons: they are strategic tools for ensuring grid stability, reducing losses from excess generation, and facilitating the integration of low-carbon energy sources. They also support long-term industrial investment, regional development, and national resilience.

In this context, the Institute is launching two key initiatives in 2025:

• Engage with local elected officials and stakeholders in regions where PSH projects have been identified, to foster constructive dialogue, anticipate concerns, and build public acceptance based on transparency and listening.
• Draft a comprehensive four-volume report laying out TerraWater’s vision for the development of PSH in France.

02.

A Decision-Making Tool for New Nuclear End-Users

Amid the dense landscape of nuclear energy options, TerraWater is developing a decision-support tool tailored to large industrial electricity consumers seeking to decarbonize their energy supply. Designed to be technology-neutral, this tool combines technical analysis, regulatory trajectory, and economic modeling to identify the most suitable nuclear solutions for each specific site.

The first application is being carried out with DP World, in collaboration with Core-Power, a leader in floating nuclear technology. The project has a dual objective: to determine the optimal low-carbon nuclear solution for the site, and to design a realistic pathway to implement it while minimizing the risk of “investment regret.”

The study will result in a generic, replicable tool—owned and developed by the TerraWater Institute—that can serve as a reference for other industrial sites looking to lead the nuclear-powered energy transition.

The broader ambition is to strengthen dialogue between industry, technology providers, and regulators ahead of major investment decisions. By building a robust and adaptable methodology, the tool aims to address the current uncertainties that limit the adoption of nuclear electricity in energy-intensive sectors.

Ultimately, the tool will offer industrial stakeholders a strategic compass to incorporate nuclear power into their long-term decarbonization strategies, in a context of increasing regulatory pressure (CSRD, EU taxonomy) and growing demand for carbon-free electricity.

03.

The TerraWater Scenario for Germany: Steps Toward a Low-Carbon Future

Building on the rigorous methodology and positive reception of its first national energy scenario, published in November 2022, the TerraWater Institute has chosen to extend its expertise beyond France. Its aim: to present a vision of the energy transition tailored to Germany’s specific context—combining climate ambition, industrial strength, and technological pragmatism.

This new scenario seeks to illuminate the major structural decisions Germany must face in the coming years, as it moves away from fossil fuels while safeguarding energy security. It will:

• Highlight the benefits of civil nuclear power in a sustainable decarbonization strategy, both from a climate and economic perspective.
• Raise awareness among policymakers and private stakeholders of the importance of pumped storage hydropower (PSH) to enable large-scale electricity storage and
  stabilize the grid.
• Provide clear guidance on the trade-offs between direct electrification, hydrogen production, and the complementarity of renewable and dispatchable energy sources.

The scenario will be based on robust data, transparent modeling, and realistic assumptions. A synthesis report will be published in the second half of 2025, targeting German and European decision-makers, as well as industrial stakeholders.

04.

Update of the TerraWater Scenario – Version 2.0

What’s new in v2.0 compared to v1.0?

• Improved modelling of planned nuclear reactor outages

• Streamlined development strategy for PHS

• Integration of new technologies (district heating, nuclear cogeneration)

• Expanded data sets, particularly regarding weather-year variability

• Updated baseline and consumption profiles as of January 1, 2025

Current and upcoming programme

Creation of the TerraWater Club with its funding patrons

The aim of this campaign is to give the Institute the capacity to carry out its mission, initiate the studies outlined in the program, and support the dissemination and popularization of the challenges of the energy transition.