Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) is poised to commission a record 9 gigawatts (GW) of thermal power generation capacity in fiscal year 2024-25, the highest ever thermal power capacity addition for India in a single fiscal year. This significant addition will bolster India’s existing thermal power capacity of over 237 GW.

These projects, awarded by NTPC and state-owned power companies in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh, have faced delays at the land availability and green approvals stages, which were later resolved through consistent efforts by the Centre. The expected market value of these projects is approximately Rs 65,000 crore.

BHEL’s typical annual commissioning has been much lower, with 1,705 MW in 2021-22, 1,460 MW in 2022-23, and a similar capacity in 2023-24. To address these delays, the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) established a dedicated team to speed up project commissioning, ensuring regular monitoring and a strict adherence to timelines.

BHEL also reported a consolidated net profit of ?106.15 crore for the quarter ending September 2024, a significant recovery from the loss reported in the same period the previous year. The power sector remains BHEL's largest revenue contributor, with Rs 5,028.28 crore in revenue and Rs 337.27 crore profit in the second quarter.