Setting up a thermal power plant is becoming a challenge as the government have come out with stringent norms to reduce carbon dioxide emission intensity by 33-35 per cent by 2030.- Ashok Puri, MD, Hinduja National Power Corporation Ltd.
The Hinduja National Power Corporation Ltd (HNPCL), a part of the Hinduja Group, recently commissioned its 1,040 MW power project near Visakhapatnam helping Andhra Pradesh to emerge as the first southern state to become power surplus. In an interview with EPR, the company’s Managing Director Ashok Puri talks about this landmark achievement and future plans. Excerpts:
Hinduja Group aims to create 10,000 MW generation capacity. Could you explain us more about your roadmap to achieve this target and the possible investments to be made?The Hinduja Group considers the power sector as one of the growth areas in the country. Our vision is to create a generation capacity of 10,000 MW over the next few years with an investment of $12 billion, which will add to the government’s massive electrification drive.
Hinduja National Power Corporation Limited (HNPCL) is currently focusing on optimising operations of the existing two 520 MW power station. There are possibilities for greenfield and brownfield expansion that we are assessing. However, these are still in evaluation stage.
The need for power is more than ever in India as industrialisation and electrification have raised the demand multi-fold. The Hinduja Group will relentlessly pursue its vision to fuel the nation’s dreams.
Can you discuss on your upcoming projects for the power vertical in this financial year?We have recently commissioned 1,040 MW power project at Visakhapatnam. It primarily caters to the growing power needs of the rising industrial demand in and around the city of Visakhapatnam and the southern region, which includes some of the fastest growing economies in the country.
Hinduja Energy India Ltd (HEIL), the holding company of HNPCL is currently identifying such opportunities. The Group also has a multi-pronged partnership with STEAG GmbH (Germany), which has enabled the latter’s Indian arm, STEAG Energy Services (India) Pvt Ltd to create joint venture with the Hinduja Group for operations and maintenance of power plants in India.
How strategically significant is the Visakhapatnam project to your business?Visakhapatnam power plant holds an important position in Hinduja group as it marks the beginning of power generation plant for the company. The power plant contributes to Andhra Pradesh to be South India’s first surplus state in India.
Andhra Pradesh is the first state for implementing 24X7  “Power for All Scheme” and pioneer in the country to initiate the power sector reforms as early as 1998. Its total installed capacity is 15,311.17 MW and aims to achieve 29,000 MW installed capacity of power by 2019. Hinduja Power intends to support the state to its best capacity and help government to achieve their vision.
What are the major challenges faced prior commissioning and how did you overcome those?The Hinduja Group’s presence in India’s power sector dates back to the 1990s, post-liberalisation period. We had committed to commission two 520 MW thermal fired stations to meet the needs of the people in Andhra Pradesh.
Since a few regulatory clearances were pending, the project faced initial delay. Furthermore, ‘Cyclone Hudhud’ in October 2014 impacted sea water intake/ or outfall system that increased the wait. However, the first unit began supplying power to the grid since January this year, and currently the entire 1,040 MW plant is fully operational. Today, Andhra Pradesh has become the first among southern states to be power surplus. 
How are you going to meet the requirement of coal for this plant?Mahanadi Coalfields is the sole provider of coal for the station.
What’s your take on the current status of thermal power sector in India?The electricity generation capacity in India is the fifth largest in the world. India is also the sixth largest consumer of electricity, and accounts for 3.4 per cent of the global energy consumption. Over the past 30 years, the country’s energy demand has grown at an average of 3.6 per cent per annum.
In India non-renewable resources are vital for the electricity generation.  India will continue to depend on coal-based thermal generation for the next few decades, but it will become increasingly difficult to attract fresh investments from the private sector in the next few years.
Additionally, setting up a thermal power plant is becoming a challenge as the government have come out with stringent norms to reduce carbon dioxide emission intensity by 33-35 per cent by 2030. A clean energy cess on coal, amounting to Rs.400 per tonne, was announced in the last Union Budget, further adding to the cost of coal-based power.
Finally, as the government is increasing focus on renewable, how do you see the future of coal-based power sector?The landscape for coal-based power generation is changing rapidly. Coal power plant construction is on a sharp upturn globally but is facing increasingly stiff opposition because of concern over emissions, particularly carbon dioxide emissions.
In the event of the renewable energy sector picking up and tariff also falling shortly with RPO being raised, thermal power plant may suffer with low Plant load factory due to which high heat rate, low load operation, stand by conditions, and frequent load changes.
Currently, investors are excited about opportunities in the renewable energy sector, given the country’s massive 175 GW renewable energy capacity plans. Having said this, we maintain that the demand for coal powered generations is unlikely to reduce in the short to medium term. There are opportunities in clean-thermal technologies and supercritical infrastructure.
The Hinduja Group considers the power sector as one of the growth areas in the country. Our vision is to create a generation capacity of 10,000 MW over the next few years with an investment of $10 billion, which will add to the government’s massive electrification drive.

  Setting up a thermal power plant is becoming a challenge as the government have come out with stringent norms to reduce carbon dioxide emission intensity by 33-35 per cent by 2030.- Ashok Puri, MD, Hinduja National Power Corporation Ltd.
The Hinduja National Power Corporation Ltd (HNPCL), a part of the Hinduja Group, recently commissioned its 1,040 MW power project near Visakhapatnam helping Andhra Pradesh to emerge as the first southern state to become power surplus. In an interview with EPR, the company’s Managing Director Ashok Puri talks about this landmark achievement and future plans. Excerpts:
Hinduja Group aims to create 10,000 MW generation capacity. Could you explain us more about your roadmap to achieve this target and the possible investments to be made?The Hinduja Group considers the power sector as one of the growth areas in the country. Our vision is to create a generation capacity of 10,000 MW over the next few years with an investment of $12 billion, which will add to the government’s massive electrification drive.
Hinduja National Power Corporation Limited (HNPCL) is currently focusing on optimising operations of the existing two 520 MW power station. There are possibilities for greenfield and brownfield expansion that we are assessing. However, these are still in evaluation stage.
The need for power is more than ever in India as industrialisation and electrification have raised the demand multi-fold. The Hinduja Group will relentlessly pursue its vision to fuel the nation’s dreams.
Can you discuss on your upcoming projects for the power vertical in this financial year?We have recently commissioned 1,040 MW power project at Visakhapatnam. It primarily caters to the growing power needs of the rising industrial demand in and around the city of Visakhapatnam and the southern region, which includes some of the fastest growing economies in the country.
Hinduja Energy India Ltd (HEIL), the holding company of HNPCL is currently identifying such opportunities. The Group also has a multi-pronged partnership with STEAG GmbH (Germany), which has enabled the latter’s Indian arm, STEAG Energy Services (India) Pvt Ltd to create joint venture with the Hinduja Group for operations and maintenance of power plants in India.
How strategically significant is the Visakhapatnam project to your business?Visakhapatnam power plant holds an important position in Hinduja group as it marks the beginning of power generation plant for the company. The power plant contributes to Andhra Pradesh to be South India’s first surplus state in India.
Andhra Pradesh is the first state for implementing 24X7  “Power for All Scheme” and pioneer in the country to initiate the power sector reforms as early as 1998. Its total installed capacity is 15,311.17 MW and aims to achieve 29,000 MW installed capacity of power by 2019. Hinduja Power intends to support the state to its best capacity and help government to achieve their vision.
What are the major challenges faced prior commissioning and how did you overcome those?The Hinduja Group’s presence in India’s power sector dates back to the 1990s, post-liberalisation period. We had committed to commission two 520 MW thermal fired stations to meet the needs of the people in Andhra Pradesh.
Since a few regulatory clearances were pending, the project faced initial delay. Furthermore, ‘Cyclone Hudhud’ in October 2014 impacted sea water intake/ or outfall system that increased the wait. However, the first unit began supplying power to the grid since January this year, and currently the entire 1,040 MW plant is fully operational. Today, Andhra Pradesh has become the first among southern states to be power surplus. 
How are you going to meet the requirement of coal for this plant?Mahanadi Coalfields is the sole provider of coal for the station.
What’s your take on the current status of thermal power sector in India?The electricity generation capacity in India is the fifth largest in the world. India is also the sixth largest consumer of electricity, and accounts for 3.4 per cent of the global energy consumption. Over the past 30 years, the country’s energy demand has grown at an average of 3.6 per cent per annum.
In India non-renewable resources are vital for the electricity generation.  India will continue to depend on coal-based thermal generation for the next few decades, but it will become increasingly difficult to attract fresh investments from the private sector in the next few years.
Additionally, setting up a thermal power plant is becoming a challenge as the government have come out with stringent norms to reduce carbon dioxide emission intensity by 33-35 per cent by 2030. A clean energy cess on coal, amounting to Rs.400 per tonne, was announced in the last Union Budget, further adding to the cost of coal-based power.
Finally, as the government is increasing focus on renewable, how do you see the future of coal-based power sector?The landscape for coal-based power generation is changing rapidly. Coal power plant construction is on a sharp upturn globally but is facing increasingly stiff opposition because of concern over emissions, particularly carbon dioxide emissions.
In the event of the renewable energy sector picking up and tariff also falling shortly with RPO being raised, thermal power plant may suffer with low Plant load factory due to which high heat rate, low load operation, stand by conditions, and frequent load changes.
Currently, investors are excited about opportunities in the renewable energy sector, given the country’s massive 175 GW renewable energy capacity plans. Having said this, we maintain that the demand for coal powered generations is unlikely to reduce in the short to medium term. There are opportunities in clean-thermal technologies and supercritical infrastructure.
The Hinduja Group considers the power sector as one of the growth areas in the country. Our vision is to create a generation capacity of 10,000 MW over the next few years with an investment of $10 billion, which will add to the government’s massive electrification drive.