A mechanical engineer who joined NTPC in 1989 now steers Odisha’s 3,010 MW giant, with record ash use behind him, a 79.42% PLF to his name, and AI-led boilers on the horizon
The Trainee Who Grew with the Grid
Some careers are built around one function. Others are shaped by the whole power sector, and Ajay Singh Yadav’s belongs to the second kind. A Mechanical Engineering graduate of Jiwaji University, Gwalior, he joined NTPC on 5 September 1989 as an Executive Trainee. More than 36 years later he is Chief General Manager and Head of Project at NTPC Talcher Kaniha, the company’s third largest power station. Along the way his journey has linked plant-level engineering and maintenance with fuel management, corporate planning and project leadership.
Where Coal Met Craft
His early assignments gave him a grounding in how a power plant really runs. He handled fuel at Korba, where coal handling is the heartbeat of generation, and worked on mechanical maintenance at Anta. Those postings built a foundation in plant operations and technical management that stayed with him through every later role.
From the Plant Floor to the Corporate Centre
In 2007 Yadav added formal management training to his engineering base with a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from MDI, Gurgaon. His assignments in Corporate Planning, Project Management and the Office of the Director (Operations) at NTPC’s Corporate Centre in New Delhi followed. They widened his view from single-station functions to organisation-wide coordination. He also completed an international senior management programme at SDA Bocconi in Milan, Italy, part of a leadership initiative promoted by the Capacity Building Commission and SCOPE.
Across the Energy Value Chain
His later roles carried him from the power plant to the coal mine. He took charge of fuel management and maintenance at Khargone, and in 2024 became Head of Project at the Talaipalli coal mining project in Chhattisgarh. At Talaipalli the project won multiple awards at the 2024 Mines Safety Fortnight and earned the prestigious 5-Star Mine Rating. It also strengthened its communication infrastructure and backed education and girl empowerment through CSR initiatives.
Tanda’s Ash Turnaround
At NTPC Tanda, Yadav’s focus was reliability, efficiency and cleaner generation. During FY 2025-26 the station utilised 27.77 lakh metric tonnes of ash, taking ash utilisation to 110.32%, a first for the station. It also moved ahead on cleaner energy with 7% municipal solid waste-based co-firing, and commissioned the flue gas desulphurisation system on Unit-6 along with the Stage-II Ash Water Recirculation System.
Kaniha: A Test by Fire from Day One
Yadav took charge at Talcher Kaniha on 6 May 2026, and the station did not offer an easy start. Ash-dyke capacity was tight, high ash utilisation had to be sustained, and coal stocks were low. Through coordination across departments and liaison with stakeholders, the station kept generating through these constraints. In the first half of FY 2026-27 it produced 10,464 million units at a PLF of 79.42%, which the leadership profile says is well above the national average.
Cleaner, Leaner, Smarter
Under his leadership the station commissioned Unit-4’s flue gas desulphurisation system and expanded its ash evacuation infrastructure with a third mine void filling pipeline. It also progressed on water conservation, net zero energy township initiatives and technology-enabled safety. Kaniha has earned recognition for business excellence, energy efficiency and safety. The next step is digital: IoT-enabled equipment health monitoring, and machine-learning performance improvement through Advanced Pattern Recognition to enhance boiler combustion.
Beyond Megawatts: A Community-First Vision
For Yadav, leadership in power is measured by more than megawatts. His vision for Talcher Super Thermal Power Station rests on Zero Harm, Lesser Carbon, Circular Economy, Cleaner Air, Lesser Water, Higher Reliability, integration of AI and ML, and engagement with people and community. The station’s neighbours see this in healthcare, women’s empowerment, rural sports and skill development. Since he took charge, Kaniha has opened the 2026 Girl Empowerment Mission to 140 girls, hosted a block-level sports meet for nearly 500 students, and backed the ‘Suravi 2026’ children’s festival in Kaniha block. In his view, the future of power generation is measured by electricity produced, safety upheld, resources conserved, technology embraced and communities empowered.
