What is your assessment of the current situation of Power Sector in India ?
There is imbalance of power production between the regions. The gap between the consumption of power and power production is increasing day by day and this is creating tremendous scope for strategically locating power generating stations in the future.

What are your observation on the impact of liberalisation on Power Sector ?
The liberalisation of Power Sector has thrown up a challenge for the domestic industries to come up in speed for execution and quality of equipments supplied. BHEL is able to face this challenge squarely and boldly.

Do you suggest any measures to improve the status of this sector?
This sector requires lot of money so, the financial institutions, manufacturers, developers have to work out a plausible mechanism to execute new power stations. Already Karnataka Power Corporation Limited is working in that direction and that can be one of the models which can be followed.

How do you look at the future of this sector ?
This sector is now in a transition phase from Mega power station to smaller power stations. In future, as is happening elsewhere in the World there would be more of distributed power generation with thrust on mini, micro gas turbines and hydro turbines.

In power sector, how is BHEL poised to retain its presence?
So far BHEL could prove it’s calibre in executing big coal fired power station on turnkey basis. As on date, no IPP has executed coal fired power station in the way as BHEL has executed. So, I am sure, BHEL is uniquely placed in executing turnkey power stations with the latest technology.

What is the greatest achievement of BHEL during the current financial year ?
BHEL has entered in a big way in the export market by bagging order worth of more than Rs.400 crores in Iraq and there are other orders which are in the pipeline.

How do you see the market of BHEL in India, especially in Eastern Region?
In the Eastern Region, there is a tremendous market for BHEL in Gas power, Hydropower and also coal fired power stations. The future projects on anvil are Kahelgaon Extension of NTPC, Mejia Extension of DVC, North Korampura and Barh of NTPC at Bihar, Combined Cycle Power Station of NEEPCO at Agartala, Teesta Hydro Power station of NHPC, Turai at Manipur etc. In addition to the power projects we have a good market for selling our service and spares and Renovation and Modernisation of old Power Stations in the Eastern Region. Already, Eastern Region has made entry in executing power stations abroad by completing 3 x Frame-5 gas turbine at Oman and presently executing a Frame-9 gas turbine on turnkey basis at Baghabari, Bangladesh.

Can you mention some measures, which are required to remove the difficulties faced by the Indian power sector?
Unbundling of electricity boards is a good measure and also the creation of tariff committees. The power theft is one of the major problem in India and which can be eliminated with the help of pre-paid card and remote meters. All these issues are to be addressed by almost all of us to improve the power situation in India.

Have you any observation on any other issues?
We must concentrate more on renewable and non-conventional energy. We have to work out viable power stations based on solar cell, Fuel cell, Wind power etc. so that these power stations can be established at remote places of our country where transmission lines could not be laid. These smaller power stations can be maintained by the local Panchayat as being done in the neighbouring countries.