NTPC sets up monitoring centre to avoid cost overruns - Endeavour to become a 75,000-MW company by 2017

In its endeavour to become a 75,000-MW company by 2017, state-owned NTPC has set up a centre to monitor all ongoing projects on a real time basis to ensure there are no cost and time overruns.The company is currently working on 18 projects to add about 17,000 generation capacity.

 "IT enabled Project Monitoring Centre (PMC) is the nerve centre of NTPC's new project management approach. The PMC has provisions for online monitoring of project-wise and vendor-wise issues, enterprise wide issue-tracking and real-time site monitoring through remote cameras," NTPC CMD R S Sharma said.

  NTPC has also developed web-based monitoring system and given access to external stakeholders including Ministry of Power, Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and others to get updated status of the projects.    

The schedule and anticipated/actual dates of key milestones identified by CEA are available online for the ongoing projects, NTPC officials, working on the PMC, said adding, status of clearances/activities for new projects is available on the new projects dashboard.   Asked about investment and technology partners for setting up the PMC, the officials said the monitoring centre has been set up with indigenous technology and at an investment of about Rs six crore.   

High resolution cameras have been installed at important locations like TG floor, Bunker area, Boiler to capture and store on-line video from construction site for better appreciation of site conditions and facilitate on spot decisions.   

With a current generating capacity of over 32,000 MW, NTPC has embarked on plans to become a 75,000-MW company by 2017, the officials said, adding that to achieve in time and without cost overruns, the facility like PMC would be extremely helpful.   

To strengthen the collaborative platform, a large Video Wall has been installed, which facilitates video conferencing across 32 locations at the same time, they said, adding the management discusses the critical issues face to face with various departments, sites and vendors and takes on spot decisions.