You have had more than three decades of experience in power sector. Could you describe your journey till assuming responsibilities as Director General of NPTI?
Before taking over as the Director General of NPTI, I had worked in premier power sector organizations such as NTPC, POWERGRID and Rural Electrification Corporation in various areas such as Contracts Management, Procurement, Project Management and implementation of Power Projects on PPP mode etc. In the POWERGRID, I was responsible for implementation of the first Transmission Project on JV mode. I have also successfully finalized various JV/Transmission Service Agreements with various companies. At REC, I was responsible for appraisal, sanction and financing of Renewable Energy and large Generation Projects. I was also the Chief Executive Officer of RECTPCL, a fully owned subsidiary of REC Ltd. I was responsible for the selection of developers of Transmission projects on tariff based bidding. The first two transmission projects on tariff based bidding based on guidelines issued by Ministry of Power were awarded by me. Additionally, I was also holding the charge of HR and responsible for various functions of personnel management and industrial relations. I always believe in the motto that ‘Work is Worship’. I don’t get deterred by failures and I believe that ‘Dreams are not those, you see while asleep; Dreams are those, that don’t let you sleep’.
The power sector is facing crucial times as demand is increasing and according to you what are the challenges faced by the Indian Power Sector?
Power Sector has been constrained by multiple challenges in Generation, Transmission & Distribution and associated areas. Some of them need to be addressed right away such as:
- High Aggregate Technical & Commercial Losses pose a major challenge as a significant portion of the power generated is lost or goes unaccounted. This has largely been on account of old and outdated sub-transmission, poor distribution infrastructure and heavy commercial leakages.
- Metered Supply to consumers leads to correct estimates of losses, subsidies, incentives, and effective planning and implementation. There is an urgent need to identify an action plan for 100% metering of consumers and implementation.
- Delays in the development of captive coal blocks have led to shortages in the supply of Coal.
- The absence of adequate and location of Coal washeries in the country makes it necessary to import low-ash coal. Low ash coal is largely imported as high ash content in Indian coal makes washing necessary before it is supplied to power plants.
- I am of the opinion that installed capacity in the country is sufficient to meet the power demand of the country provided national level Aggregate Technical & Commercial losses are brought down to 15% which is an achievable target as some states have been able to achieve this target.
Could you detail about NPTI’s programs with the objective to create competent professionals who would take care of power sector needs of the country?
NPTI conducts the following industry interfaced academic programs with the objective to create a pool of committed and competent professionals equipped with appropriate technical skills to steer the Indian Power Sector:
- Two-Year MBA program in Power Management approved by AICTE
- Four-Year BE/ BTech Degree in Power Engineering approved by AICTE
- One Year Post Graduate Diploma Course in Thermal Power Plant Engineering
- One Year Post Diploma Course in Thermal Power Plant Engineering
- One Year Post Graduate Diploma Curse in Sub-Transmission & Distribution Systems
- Nine Months Post Graduate Diploma Course in Hydro Power Plant Engineering
- Six Months Post Diploma Course in Hydro Power Plant Engineering
- 12 weeks Post Graduate Certification Course in Thermal Power Plant Engineering.
The students graduating from these industry-interfaced programs are ready off-the-shelf skilled manpower for immediate placement in the power sector specializing in the operation, maintenance, commissioning, project management, commercial and regulatory areas in Thermal, Gas, Hydro, Renewables etc. Therefore, the students passing out of these programs are placed in various power sector companies in the areas of Generation, Transmission & Distribution and other techno-managerial areas of infrastructure sectors.
In addition to the above, several long-term, medium-term, short-term training programs in the areas of Thermal, Hydro, Transmission & Distribution and System Operation, Management, Regulatory Affairs are being conducted in the various institutes of NPTI. Also, customized training programs for various power utilities are also organized round the year.
How many institutes are run by NPTI all over India? And what kind of specialized training is provided at those institutes to address the challenges in the power sector?
NPTI operates on an all India basis through its nine Institutes in different zones of the country viz.
- Northern Region: Corporate Office, Faridabad, Regional Institute at Badarpur, New Delhi and a Hydro Power Training Centre at Nangal;
- Southern Region: Power System Training Institute & Hot Line Training Centres at Bengaluru, Regional Institute at Neyveli;
- Eastern & North Eastern Region: Eastern Region Institute at Durgapur and North Eastern Region Institute
- at Guwahati;
- Western Region: Western Region Institute at Nagpur city. All NPTI institutes are well equipped with Hi-Tech infrastructural facilities for conducting different courses on technical as well as management subjects covering the needs of Thermal, Hydro, Transmission & Distribution Systems, and Energy related fields of the Indian Power and allied Energy Sectors.
NPTI has equipped itself with state-of-the-art high-quality, high-fidelity, real-time, full-scope & DDC based training Simulators. A 500 MW & 2 Nos. of 210 MW Thermal Power Plant Simulators, a 430 MW Combined Cycle Gas Turbine Simulator, a 250 MW Hydro Simulator and a Load Despatch Simulator have ever since been used for training purposes.
Beginning September, 2014, we have also started a six (6) months Certification Course on “Regulatory Framework & Commercial Aspects of Indian Power Sector” through Distance Learning Mode for Senior Executives of JSW Energy. The course appraises participants to Policy & Regulatory Framework of the Power Sector through Modules & Assignments at their doorstep/workplace and has been very well appreciated by the Corporate. Contact Sessions have also been arranged for enriched learning & doubt clearing of the Participants. We would also like to take forward this exercise in a big way to develop a thorough understanding of the all-important Regulatory Framework to the power professionals in the country.
We have also for the first time in the country conducted Training & Certification of Power System Operators for executives of various Load Dispatch Centres of the country in the Basic as well as Specialist level Learning & Development courses.
Please detail us about your MBA program in Power Management; the opportunities available for such competent professionals and your further initiatives in management education.
NPTI’s Centre for Advanced Management and Power Studies (CAMPS), launched its first ever MBA Program in Power Management in the year 2002 which was a first in the sub-continent, to meet the huge requirement of Power Managers in Ministry of Power’s massive efforts of attaining self-sufficiency in Power Sector and run the Indian Power Sector on techno-commercial lines. This MBA program duly approved by AICTE is affiliated to Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak. The intake for the program is 120 seats out of which 15 seats are reserved for candidates sponsored from Power Sector organisations. In addition to the inputs provided in regular MBA programs, this ‘Program with a Difference’ lends special emphasis on specific Power Sector issues and ethos to give extra strength to Indian Power Sector Engineers to steer Power Sector of the country in the challenging times ahead. The MBA in Power Management Program in the last twelve (12) years has catered to the industry needs in providing Power Managers who have taken on issues in the industry from both technical and managerial insight. A large number of power managers have found excellent placement in the companies like PWC, KPMG, Care, Deloitte, Infraline, Tata Power, Torrent Power, Enercon, Capital Fortunes Ltd., Suzlon, Noida Power, PTC, UJVNL, GMR, Crisil, TERI, Lahmeyer, Enzen Global, NDPL, Erudite, KSK Energy Ventures, Datagen, LNJ Bhilwara, Moser Baer, Eco Securities, Feedback Infra, ABPS Advisory, Adani, IL&FS, Vedanta, Lanco, BSES etc.
Further we have ambitious plans to spread Power Management Education all over the country. We are planning to start One and Half Year Executive MBA Program in Power Management, 3-Year Part-Time MBA Program & also a MBA Program in Power Management through correspondence. We are also embarking on a very ambitious innovative project for an on-line MBA Program in Power Management through Internet which shall provide video recording as well as text of all the subjects on-line, thus making Power Management Education available to all, right at the door step of students, at any time and at any place.
Could you further enlighten us with specific areas where your Power Management graduates exactly drive the power sector economy?
The MBA program in Power Management is a unique techno-managerial program for engineering graduates to address the needs of the power sector. The program meets the power sector needs of elite personnel having technical, managerial and commercial competence possessing comprehensive decision making requirements. These highly skilled graduates can competently perform their duties in constructional Project Management of large Power Plants, Consultancy Divisions, Business Development, Strategic and Commercial areas, Distribution Companies, ARR Filing, Regulatory, Knowledge Management, Power Trading, Fuel Management, Technology Licensing & JVs, Mergers and Acquisitions, Captive Power Plant Business to name a few.
Please detail us about your training methodologies and use of real-time power plant scenarios and training strategies and newer areas.
NPTI’s institutes are essentially located near large power plants. Along with classroom sessions, Plant Visits and On-Job Training in the areas of Operation & Maintenance of Power Plants is intrinsically woven into the various programs conducted by NPTI. In addition to our core faculty we invite practicing Power Sector experts from the field for further substantiating conceptual understanding and providing newer information and insights and sectoral expertise and developments.
NPTI’s 500 MW & 210 MW Thermal Power Plant Simulators, the 430 MW Combined Cycle Gas Turbine Simulator, the Load Dispatch Simulator and the 250 MW Hydro Simulator, all of these provide the Operational skill-set expertise required to man the power plants. The emergency situations created on these Simulators provide special insights into operational practices, preparing the plant personnel with the requisite readiness to man plants effectively with lesser break-downs improving Plant Load Factor.
We have also for the first time in the country conducted Training & Certification of Power System Operators for executives of various Load Dispatch Centres of the country in the Basic as well as Specialist level Learning & Development courses.
We have also recently started a six months Certification Course on “Regulatory Framework & Commercial Aspects of Indian Power Sector” through Distance Learning Mode for Senior Executives of JSW Energy. The course appraises participants to Policy & Regulatory Framework of the Power Sector through Modules & Assignments at their doorstep/workplace and has been very well appreciated by the Corporate. Contact Sessions have also been arranged for enriched learning & doubt clearing of the Participants. We would also like to take forward this exercise in a big way to develop a thorough understanding of the all-important Regulatory Framework to the power professionals in the country.
In our attempts to cater to the additional exigent i.e. demanding and long-term training requirements, 2 more multi-functional training institutes at Alappuzha, Kerala and Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh, shall cater to the needs of all aspects of the power sector and also house multi-functional Simulators to address operational area specific needs.
Tell us something about Knowledge Bank on NPTI Website.
NPTI’s website with a new look has been vastly improvised and has been made more user friendly. A link has been provided viz., “Knowledge Bank” wherein lot of study material related to Thermal, Hydel, Transmission, Distribution, Regulatory Affairs and miscellaneous topics is regularly being uploaded. This Knowledge Bank of Reports/Information uploaded are very useful to students, trainees, faculty of NPTI and all the employees working in various Central, State and Private Sector Utilities and this will also improve the quality of education and training. We are gradually progressing towards a one-stop solution for providing information to the power sector.
Also, a Daily upload of “Power News” appearing in media on NPTI website provides ready and quick reference to power sector personnel.
What are your future plans to strengthen the training activities of NPTI and meet challenges down the road in the next few years?
NPTI faces huge challenges in the years to come and we have the following road map ahead for us-
- Renovation & Modernization of existing Institutes with state-of-the-art facilities.
- Establishment of more Power Training Institutes.
- Improvement and upgradation of skill and knowledge of existing faculty to keep pace with fast changing technological advancements.
- Our several Post Graduate & Post Diploma courses will also provide the much required specialist personnel to man the various power sector areas.
- The 800 MW Supercritical Thermal Power Plant Training Simulator and the other multi-functional Simulators being procured would address the mandatory needs of Simulator training.
- Starting new MBA Programs in Power Management through correspondence, Part-time and also Executive programs for experienced power professionals to address the huge techno-managerial vacuum.
- Starting an on-line MBA program in Power Management to meet the student requirements anytime, anywhere reaching their doorsteps. This mode of education will revolutionize our power management education in the country and will vastly improve the power sector as a whole.
The above initiatives, I am sure would further address and improve the quality of power education and training being provided by NPTI. We at NPTI are aware and conscious of the enormous training needs of the country taking strident steps to assist in increasing Plant Load Factor of Generating stations and reduction of AT&C losses, as proper training alone can address these issues as the men behind the machines are the ones crucial and all-important to achieve it.
