New Delhi, May 17: Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) successfully hosted the two-day O&M Conference 2026: Powering Progress in Kolkata on May 14–15, bringing together policymakers, power sector leaders, researchers and industry experts to deliberate on the future of thermal power generation and sustainable energy integration.
Held under the theme “Integrating Green Initiatives & Thermal Excellence”, the conference focused on advancing operational efficiency and accelerating the transition towards cleaner and more resilient power systems.
The event witnessed participation from prominent power sector stakeholders, including Praveen Gupta, Member (Thermal), Central Electricity Authority; S. Suresh Kumar, Chairman, DVC; Ujjwal Kanti Bhattacharya, Managing Director of STEAG Energy Services India Pvt Ltd; Ravindra Kumar, Director (Operations) at NTPC Limited; Subrata Mandal of The West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited; and Brajesh Kumar Singh of CESC Limited.
The conference opened with a welcome address by P. P. Sah, Executive Director (Operations), who outlined DVC’s operational profile and set the tone for the technical discussions.
The keynote address delivered by Swapnendu Kumar Panda, Member (Technical) and Chief Patron of the conference, highlighted the evolving landscape of thermal power operations and the need for innovation-led maintenance strategies.
Over two days, participants engaged in technical sessions and panel discussions covering emerging technologies and operational challenges across the power sector.
Key discussion areas included artificial intelligence-driven predictive maintenance, digitalisation and smart monitoring systems, deployment of digital twins for thermal power assets, energy efficiency enhancement, reliability-centred operational strategies, and root cause analysis methodologies.
The conference also focused on emission control technologies, decarbonisation pathways for thermal power plants, clean fuel adoption, renewable energy integration, grid stability and inertia management, fossil fuel quality optimisation, and environmental conservation initiatives.
Technical paper presentations, case studies and expert-led discussions enabled industry professionals and researchers to exchange practical insights and explore scalable solutions for enhancing power plant performance and sustainability.
The conference concluded with a collective commitment to translate the ideas and technological solutions discussed into operational improvements and innovation-driven excellence across thermal power facilities, while reaffirming plans for a larger and more impactful future edition.
