KOLKATA: Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) successfully hosted a two-day national technical seminar, the O&M Conference 2026: Powering Progress, from May 14 to 15 in Kolkata. Centered around the forward-looking theme of “Integrating Green Initiatives & Thermal Excellence,” the summit brought together a vast network of power sector stalwarts, engineers, and researchers to chart the future of sustainable thermal energy.
The conclave served as a major platform for balancing India’s base-load energy security requirements with its ambitious green transition timelines.
A High-Profile Gathering of Energy Leaders
The technical extravaganza saw participation from top policymakers, public sector enterprises, and private power utilities, including:
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Shri Praveen Gupta, Member (Thermal), Central Electricity Authority (CEA)
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Shri S. Suresh Kumar (IAS), Chairman, DVC
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Shri Ravindra Kumar, Director (Operations), NTPC Ltd.
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Shri Swapnendu Kr. Panda, Member (Technical), DVC (Chief Patron of the event)
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Shri Ujjwal Kanti Bhattacharya, MD, STEAG Energy Services (India)
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Shri Subrata Mandal, Director (O&M), WBPDCL, and Shri Brajesh Kumar Singh, MD (Generation), CESC
Technological Blueprint for Next-Gen Power Plants
Over the two-day event, technical paper presentations and panel discussions focused heavily on bringing cutting-edge technology directly to Boiler-Turbine-Generator (BTG) plant floors. The extensive deliberations focused on three primary operational pillars:
| Digital Transformation | Efficiency & Reliability | Sustainability & Grid Care |
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• AI-driven predictive maintenance
• Smart monitoring systems
• Digital twins for thermal power assets |
• Reliability-centred operational strategies
• Fossil fuel quality management
• Advanced RCT analysis |
• Decarbonization & emission control
• Co-firing with clean fuels
• Renewable integration & grid inertia management |
The conference concluded with a collective industry resolve to immediately translate these digital and sustainable solutions into active field excellence, ensuring that traditional thermal generation remains stable while adapting to India’s evolving green grid framework.

