New Delhi, Aug. 27 -- NTPC aims to expand its operating capacity to 244 GW by 2037 and plans cumulative capital expenditure of Rs 16.86 lakh crore as it seeks to strengthen its presence across the energy value chain, Chairman Gurdeep Singh said on Thursday.

Addressing shareholders at the company's 50th Annual General Meeting (AGM), Singh said the next decade will be among the most significant growth periods in NTPC's history, driven by rising electricity demand as India's economy expands and living standards improve.

"We have raised our long-term capacity ambitions and now target generating capacity of 149 GW by 2032, including 60 GW of renewable energy, with an aspiration to reach 244 GW by 2037 excluding storage," Singh said. NTPC currently has around 91 GW of capacity.

The company expects to invest around Rs 16.86 lakh crore up to FY37 across thermal, hydro and pumped storage, renewables, battery storage, mining and nuclear.

Singh described it as one of the largest investment programmes undertaken by an Indian power utility.

On nuclear energy, Singh said NTPC aims to secure a 30 per cent share in the government's ambitious 100 GW nuclear capacity target by 2047 under the Nuclear Energy Mission.

NTPC is developing a 2.8 GW nuclear project in Rajasthan with NPCIL and is studying additional projects at 34 sites across 13 states.

"Nuclear power will complement both renewable and thermal generation by providing reliable, low-carbon, round-the-clock electricity," the chairman said.

Singh also said NTPC's Coal Gasification-based Synthetic Natural Gas Project, with a capacity of 5.75 lakh tonnes per annum, is progressing well.

Once established, it will be India's first plant of its kind and directly substitute imported natural gas.

NTPC Group posted its highest-ever consolidated Profit After Tax (PAT) of Rs 27,546 crore in FY26, up 15 per cent from the previous year.

Group EBITDA rose to Rs 60,564 crore, while net worth increased to around Rs 2.03 lakh crore.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.