State-run power generator NTPC has planned an investment of Rs. 17 tn over the next decade across thermal, gas, nuclear and storage technologies, Chairman and Managing Director Gurdeep Singh said. The company plans to deploy about Rs. 7 tn of this investment during the next five years as it prepares to meet rising domestic electricity demand.

Singh made the announcement while addressing the India Energy Summit organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce. He said NTPC was targeting 30 gigawatts (GW) of nuclear capacity by 2047, representing nearly one-third of the national target of 100 GW. The company has submitted three identified sites for clearance to the Department of Atomic Energy and the Atomic Energy Commission.

Singh said the central challenge for the power sector was ensuring reliable and economical electricity supply under high grid loads, rather than choosing between fuel sources. Coal currently accounts for about 70 per cent of India’s power generation, while coal-based generation at NTPC has risen by 18 per cent in the current month. He linked the increase in demand to weather conditions associated with El Nino, economic growth, cooling needs and the expansion of artificial intelligence systems and data centres.

The company has an operational generation capacity of 91 GW and another 37 GW under construction, including about 17 GW of coal-based projects. With electricity demand increasingly extending beyond traditional peak periods, NTPC is focusing on energy storage options, including pumped storage, vanadium flow batteries and carbon dioxide batteries. Its first carbon dioxide battery installation is scheduled for commissioning in November.

NTPC is also developing partnerships with captive industrial consumers through a 26 per cent equity participation model intended to support co-generation. The company is working on a hydrogen hub for producing green methanol and green ammonia, while a 20-km pipeline under construction at Simhadri is intended to connect supplies with overseas off-takers. Singh said these initiatives could help reduce emissions, lower power costs and improve industrial competitiveness.