A prominent leader in the utility industry possesses several skills and qualities. He should be able to manage and lead teams, ensure the smooth operation of utility services, and be accountable to higher authorities. He should have traits such as agility, the ability to build strong networks of relationships, and the capacity to lead through continual changes. One such leader is Sanjeev Sinha, President – Digitalization of India Power Corporation Ltd, who leads all digital initiatives and aims to convert the company to a digital and data-driven organization.
A Career Journey worth emulating
Mr. Sanjeev Sinha is a graduate of IIT Kharagpur and an MBA from Georgia State University USA. He also completed MDP in project management at IIM Calcutta and is a certified independent director (IICA). Mr. Sanjeev Sinha has 34 years of multi-industry experience in India & USA and has worked for various companies such as Indian Airlines, Delta Air Lines (in the USA), British Oxygen, MJunction (Tata Steel Company), and OnProcess Technology where he has served roles such as Senior VP-Asia Pac and board member.
While at OnProcess Technology, he was the winner of CEO Award 2013, given to just one employee globally. In his current role as President – IT & Digitalization, his goal is to convert the grid to a smart grid and even offer technology-based solutions to other utilities.
In some of his earlier notable assignments, Mr. Sanjeev Sinha had launched India’s first Digital Tea Auction process which the Tea Board of India approved. He was also part of team that digitalized and introduced e-procurement in the Rourkela Steel Plant which later won a Gold Medal from the Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India. At India Power Corporation Limited, he leads technology-based solutions in utilities and has become P&L head. These achievements were memorable to him because of the recognition and the impact on stakeholders. He writes for several technical magazines in India and his articles have been well accepted by the industries. He has won several awards including:
- Top 100 Eminent CIOs of India for six years during 2019-2024.
- The Man of Excellence Award 2022 by the Indian Achiever’s Forum.
- CIO Crown 2022, and CIO Powerlist 2024 by Centre of Recognition and Excellence, Mumbai.
This year, he was invited to speak at World SCADA Conference at Singapore. He even conducted a workshop at Singapore wherein utility experts from various countries had converged.
Mr. Sanjeev Sinha had been part of jury for Climate Control Awards Dubai for 2022 and 2023. His contribution has been well appreciated. He was also a jury at The Economic Times Energy Leadership Awards last year.
Mr. Sanjeev Sinha is part of management committee (MC) of Kolkata chapter of CIO Association of India. As part of MC, he manages relationships of CIOs of over 125 organizations of eastern India.
Mr. Sinha was also on the board of studies of two business schools in Kolkata.
Values Independent Directorship as part of Corporate Governance
Though Mr. Sanjeev Sinha has been whole time director in the past, he currently is a certified independent director, as certified by IICA. He also attended focused program on Enterprise Risk Management at IIM Bangalore. He says that though most companies value digital transformation as the forward way of doing business, most boards have no representation of technology professionals among their members. He says that as a certified independent director, he wants to bridge this gap and put the companies into a faster digital adoption, in line with Digital India initiative of Govt of India.
Driving Technology at IPCL
Mr. Sanjeev Sinha is part of leadership team at India Power Corporation Limited, which was established in 1919, is one of the leading power utilities in India. Headquartered in Kolkata, West Bengal, it is an integrated power utility with a pan-India presence and serves various consumer segments ranging from Govt establishments, Industrial houses, and Railways to Domestic Consumers spread across an area spanning 798 sq. km. across the Asansol Raniganj belt in West Bengal, India. The company has consistently kept its aggregated transmission and commercial (AT&C) losses at less than 3%, which is one of the lowest in the country.
Mr. Sanjeev Sinha has been instrumental in various IT interventions through technologies like SCADA, IoT, and Smart Metering in its network. The company is making ongoing efforts to digitize the consumer end-to-end. This allows for operating on near real-time data to define, monitor, achieve, improve, and control operational parameters. This enhances the reliability and effectiveness of the power supply. In his endeavor, he is even trying to get successful technology initiatives from other countries to make change here in India.
Significant Changes in the Power Sector
Mr. Sanjeev Sinha says that the Indian power sector is seeing significant changes in recent years. However, he points at two significant changes.
He opined that the power sector, particularly distribution, is adopting technology like never before. Grids are becoming smart grids. India is implementing 250 million smart meters as part of this initiative. Many challenges are being addressed. For example, AT&C’s loss in the sector has dropped to around 15% which used to be over 25% a few years back. Similar benefits are visible in billing and collection efficiencies, he adds.
He adds that the second major change has been in the adoption of renewable energy. The installed renewable energy capacity (including hydro) has gone up to 182 GW as of January 2024, accounting for approx. 43% of the overall installed capacity. This includes 73 GW from solar and 45 GW from wind power. The addition of non-hydro renewable energy capacity in FY23 was over 15 GW, up from 14 GW in FY22. Also, the price of renewable power has dropped over the years. These initiatives will help India become carbon neutral by 2070, as planned by the country.
Overcoming Challenges in the Sector
Mr. Sanjeev Sinha feels that despite the positive changes, the Indian power sector faces several challenges such as addressing the environmental impact of fossil fuel-based power generation. Also, the use of technology has had limited benefits to consumers, as of now, compared to other sectors. However, given the scenario, customer experience is expected to be better with higher adoption of technology. Many Distribution companies (DISCOMs) are struggling with high levels of debt and financial losses due to inefficiencies, high aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses, and delays in subsidy disbursements from the government. Also, inadequate and delayed tariff revisions often result in revenue gaps.
AT&C losses remain high in some Discom areas despite improvements, leading to significant revenue losses. Further reduction requires technological improvements which are capital intensive. The integration of large-scale renewable energy sources poses challenges due to their intermittent and variable nature. This too requires technological intervention and robust energy storage solutions. As of now, there are too few energy storage solutions to support the country’s grid.
A significant portion of India’s power still comes from coal-based thermal plants, which contribute to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. There is a need to attract more investment to meet the ambitious targets for renewable energy and grid modernization. While there is a push towards adopting new technologies such as smart grids, energy storage, and electric vehicles, their widespread implementation is slow due to high costs, lack of expertise, etc.
There is a significant collection of data from Smart meters, IoT devices, etc. However, the use of data has been minimal. There is a need to use these data for better customer experience and even for Discoms to improve its operations efficiencies.
Emerging Opportunities in India’s Power Sector
Mr. Sanjeev Sinha says that in the next two years, he sees several key opportunities to arise in India’s power sector, driven by ongoing trends, policy initiatives, and technological advancements.
Renewable Energy Sources and Usage are set to increase with mostly Solar and Wind Power. The power sector has a significant role to play in making India carbon-neutral by 2070. Hence, significant investments and projects in solar and wind energy are expected. The country is on track to reach 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030. To support this, Battery Storage solutions are required to ensure stable power supply and optimize grid management by addressing the intermittency of renewable sources. This results in increasing investments in battery storage technologies, such as lithium-ion and emerging alternatives. In Mr. Sinha’s view, pumped hydro storage projects will also see growth, leveraging existing water resources to store and generate electricity.
Keeping pace with Technology Adoption in the Sector
Mr. Sanjeev Sinha sees an opportunity for the adoption of technology in Grid modernization. Smart Grid Technologies such as advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), automated demand response, and grid automation, are already the need of the hour for efficiency and reliability of the power grid. Such digitalization of grid management will lead to predictive maintenance and integration of renewable energy sources. The opportunities in Electric Vehicle (EV) infrastructure are immense and are growing due to the increasing use of EVs for mobility. Fast-charging stations and public charging networks offer tremendous investment opportunities.
In rural and remote areas, microgrids and mini-grids powered by renewable energy sources are emerging as an alternative to providing reliable electricity access. Also, since many consumers have turned producers of electricity, the growth of distributed energy resources (DERs), such as rooftop solar panels and small wind turbines, has started to contribute to a more resilient and decentralized power system. As a result, VPP (Virtual Power Plant) models are emerging as solutions to address the demand-supply gap, particularly in peak situations.
Management and Leadership Style
Mr. Sanjeev Sinha believes that government support in the form of subsidies, tax incentives, etc. particularly for renewable energy projects and energy storage solutions will drive significant growth in the sector. Moreover, he possesses a transformational management style and believes in inspiring and motivating team members, focusing on change, encouraging personal development, and fostering a positive culture. To achieve this, Mr. Sanjeev Sinha leads from the front and speaks about the changes not just in his company but also in national forums. It is no surprise that his ideas and views have been well accepted and many forums have awarded him.
