NHPC all set to heat up thermal power sector

NEW DELHI: Public sector NHPC, a hydroelectric power producer, has decided to spread its wings nationally in the thermal power business, a move that will put it into direct competition with larger peer NTPC, the country���s biggest power producer. Since NHPC is not permitted to construct thermal power projects, it plans to realise its ambitions through its subsidiary, Narmada Hydroelectric Development Corp (NHDC).

The 51:49 subsidiary between the NHPC and the Madhya Pradesh government has a mandate to build the first coal-based 1,000 mw power project in Madhya Pradesh. It has already commissioned hydroelectric projects of 1,500 mw.

NHPC chairman & managing director SK Garg confirmed to ET that the company plans to expand the activities of its Madhya Pradesh-based subsidiary. The company, however, requires state government���s approval to give NHDC a pan-Indian presence.

NHPC is only permitted to venture into renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and tidal power energy. The company is executing a 3.75 mw tidal power project in Durgaduani Mini Tidal Power in West Bengal. It has a generation capacity of 5,175 mw, entirely in the hydro sector. The company plans to add another 5,322 mw in the 11th Plan to scale up its hydro power generation capacity to over 10,000 mw.