This crucial breakthrough represents roughly 80 percent completion of the total excavation work. Braving the notoriously challenging geological conditions, dense hard rock formations, and complex underground environments inherent to the Himalayan region, NTPC’s engineers and workforce demonstrated exceptional technical expertise, safety standards, and determination to bring the project one step closer to clean power generation.

The solar plant was developed under the Aatma Nirbhar Bharat initiative using approximately 7.75 lakh domestically manufactured solar cells and modules. It is projected to generate about 75 crore units of clean electricity annually, offsetting nearly 6.4 lakh tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year.

Expressing gratitude to all stakeholders, NHPC CMD Bhupender Gupta reaffirmed the premier power company’s dedication to expanding its green energy footprint, noting that the project has also boosted the local economy by creating employment opportunities for over 40 local residents in the remote region.

The documents were formally exchanged in the presence of top corporate leaders, including Dr. Manoj Kumar Jhawar, Managing Director and CEO of PTC India Limited, Dr. J. S. Chandok, CEO of ONGPL, along with Pankaj Goel, Executive Director and CFO of PTC, HL Choudhary, Executive Vice President of Commercial, and other senior management officials representing NTPC Renewable Energy Limited and NTPC Green Energy Limited. This strategic alliance significantly accelerates the shared decarbonization goals of both public sector giants, establishing a robust supply framework for green electricity to support the nation’s sustainable infrastructure development.

This industry-academia collaboration effectively combines PVUNL’s operational expertise with IIM Ranchi’s research and management capabilities to transform innovative ideas into commercially viable solutions. Under the leadership and vision of Prof. Deepak Kumar Srivastava, Director of IIM Ranchi, the initiative highlights immense potential for joint research, executive education, and capacity building. Together, both institutions are working to turn industrial waste into wealth, transforming challenges into lasting economic opportunities while contributing meaningfully toward the goal of Viksit Bharat @2047.

#PVUNL #NTPC #IIMRanchi #CircularEconomy #AshUtilization #Innovation #Sustainability #ViksitBharat2047 #CleanEnergy #PowerSector

Simultaneously, the historic occasion marked major milestones for the 1000 MW Bikaner Solar Power Project, which has been developed by SJVN through its renewable energy arm, SJVN Green Energy Limited (SGEL), in Bikaner, Rajasthan. Developed with an investment of approximately 5,492 crore across nearly 5,000 acres, this project stands as India’s largest single EPC solar project under the Domestic Content Requirement category at a single location, showcasing world-class renewable energy infrastructure built entirely on indigenous capabilities. The project is estimated to reduce nearly 2.79 billion kilograms of carbon emissions over its operational life, making a substantial contribution toward India’s climate action commitments.

The mega event was graced by the Governor of Rajasthan, Sh. Haribhau Kisanrao Bagde, Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Sh. Bhajan Lal Sharma, Union Minister of Power, Housing and Urban Affairs, Sh. Manohar Lal, and Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Sh. Hardeep Singh Puri. The virtual launch was also joined by top leadership including SJVN Director of Personnel Sh. Ajay Kumar Sharma, Director of Finance Sh. Parthajit De, Director of Projects Sh. Rajesh Kumar Chandel, CVO Sh. Pankaj Porwal, CEO of SGEL Sh. Prashant Sharma, and other senior officials. Beyond clean energy generation, these projects have contributed meaningfully to regional socio-economic development, generating more than 2,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities during construction and continuing to support local livelihoods during the operational phase.

The Board of Directors, employees, and stakeholders of NLC India Limited have warmly welcomed Shri Jha at a critical juncture as the company pursues an ambitious, nationwide growth roadmap under implementation. Under his guided leadership, the company remains highly confident in accelerating its key strategic initiatives, including digital transformation, capacity expansion, operational efficiency, and a stronger push into clean, renewable energy. With his rich governance background steering the organization, NLCIL is well-positioned to achieve higher benchmarks of operational excellence and sustainable growth, contributing meaningfully to the future of India’s energy security.

Dr. Mohanty has been serving as Director (Finance) since October 2023 and as Chief Financial Officer of IREDA shortly thereafter. With over 27 years of experience in the renewable energy and power sectors, he has held key positions at IREDA, REC Limited, REC Power Development and Consultancy Limited (RECPDCL), CESCO, and GRIDCO. A highly qualified finance professional, he holds multiple postgraduate degrees, a law degree, and a Ph.D. in Commerce, and is widely recognised for his expertise in project financing, renewable energy, and power sector development.

Established in 1997, the SKOCH Award framework recognizes organizations that create meaningful and measurable impact rather than merely rewarding scale or visibility, making it one of the most respected independent recognitions in the country. The SKOCH Awards are notable for their independent research led evaluation, evidence-based assessment, peer review by similar organisations, and focus on identifying scalable models of excellence.

The 2026 SKOCH Awards honoured leading government institutions, public sector enterprises, banks and private organisations. This year’s awardees included Union Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, Central Bank of India, Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC), Shipping Corporation of India, and the Governments of Punjab, Maharashtra (UMED Mission), Uttarakhand and Sikkim.

Over the years, the SKOCH platform has also featured leading private sector organisations such as Reliance Industries Limited, Mahindra Group, Tech Mahindra, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys, HCL Technologies, JSW Group, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Adani Group. In the renewable energy sector, POWERCON joins a select group of 2026 SKOCH awardees that includes REC Limited, NLC India Limited and GAIL (India) Limited.

“This recognition is a strong validation of our belief that sustainability and operational excellence are inseparable in maximising the value of renewable energy assets. It reaffirms our mission of delivering ‘more MWh of clean Energy per MW of installed Power’ through responsible and sustainable business practices. In doing so, we create lasting value for our customers, communities, and the environment, while contributing to India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat@2047,” said Mr. Praveen Kakulte, CEO & Founder, POWERCON.

As India accelerates toward 1,800 GW of Clean Energy by 2047 and net-zero by 2070, POWERCON continues to play a critical role across the renewable energy value chain from project development and construction to lifetime O&M operations, asset performance optimization, diagnostics, analytics, and advanced asset management services.

As part of the agreement, NLCIL will provide financial assistance of ?21.4 lakh to the Foundation for the procurement of four electric vehicles. The vehicles would be procured through the Government e-Market (GeM) Portal within the next 45 days, a release here said.

Switzerland Expert On How Noida Airport Used Climate-Friendly Cement

The Noida International Airport at Jewar has achieved a significant milestone by becoming India’s first large scale civil engineering project to build with low carbon Limestone Calcined Clay Cement or LC3.