Gurdeep Singh to take over reins of NTPC

The Gujarat Electricity Company's MD has been appointed as CMD of country's apex power generator

Selecting from over 100 applications for the much-touted position of the chairman and managing director of NTPC, the country’s largest power generation company, the Cabinet's appointments committee approved Gurdeep Singh for the post.

Singh is currently the managing director of Gujarat State Electricity Company Limited (GESC). Having started his career in NTPC in 1987, Singh has a profile consisting of major names in the sector—both public and private companies. He was earlier associated with Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation, Powergen and IDFC Projects in different capacities.

During his tenure at GESC, Singh spearheaded several key reforms in Gujarat, the major being innovative solar power programmes such as the solar power plant over the Sardar Sarovar canal.

GESC, along with Maharashtra State Power Generation, filed a complaint of monopoly against Coal India Ltd (CIL) with the Competition Commission of India (CCI) in 2012. The CCI then slapped a fine of Rs 1,773 crore on CIL, for the first time ever.

Singh takes charge at a time when NTPC is expanding beyond conventional power generation to solar power and allied businesses. NTPC is undergoing restructuring of its several divisions – the largest ever since its inception. The company which has several divisions sprawling across power generation from both conventional and non-conventional sources, power and fly ash trading, equipment sourcing and consultancy is merging existing ones and creating new units.