NHPC pursues foray into thermal, nuclear power

NHPC will the Ministry of Power once again for obtaining the necessary statutory approvals for its proposed diversification into other power generation sectors. This includes the thermal and nuclear segments.

Though the power firm officially petitioned the MoP for this purpose in September 2010, it has received no response from the ministry yet.

Such a foray would necessitate a change in the object clause of the company's memorandum of association, which is not possible without the nod of the MoP.

The power firm has resorted to this diversification drive as many large hyrdroelectric projetc, like the Subansiri Middle and Upper hydroelectric projects, originally assigned to NHPC, were re-assigned to private companies by state governments, lured by promises of out of turn compensation, territory that the central utility cannot tread into.


Other hydel projects of NHPC that were poised to benefit during the XIIth Plan are either reeling under delays, mostly out of its control, or are under the joint venture route.