Basudev Hansdah brings long power O&M background to Maithon Power Limited CEO role
Power-sector career spanning commissioning, operations and maintenance
Basudev Hansdah has nearly three decades of experience across the power sector and is currently chief executive officer (CEO) of Maithon Power Limited. His background combines commissioning, operations, maintenance and business leadership.
Hansdah’s career began at Steel Authority of India Limited’s Rourkela steel plant, where he gained exposure to captive power plants, distribution systems and multi-unit operations. He later joined NTPC Talcher and managed the operations and maintenance of 67.5 MW and 110 MW units.
Following that, he held leadership roles within the Tata Power Group, where he led the commissioning and operation of major assets and executed critical power purchase and statutory agreements. He also served as CEO of Industrial Energy Limited and as chief of Jamshedpur Operations during 2024-25. Hansdah holds three patents to his credit.
Outlook for India’s energy mix and grid needs
Hansdah said his perspective on the Indian power sector remains optimistic, with the sector’s trajectory depending on balancing energy security, affordability and sustainability. He noted that renewable energy will continue to drive capacity additions.
At the same time, he argued that flexible thermal generation will remain essential to manage variability in renewable output. He also said nuclear power is expected to play an important role in strengthening the clean baseload segment.
Beyond generation, Hansdah highlighted how a changing geopolitical environment reinforces the need for a balanced domestic energy mix supported by renewables and emerging storage technologies. He pointed to technology trends—artificial intelligence, smart grids, automation and advanced forecasting—as tools improving system reliability and enabling more responsive grid management.
Constraints cited: integration, transmission and financial health
Despite these advances, Hansdah referenced several structural impediments, including grid integration challenges and transmission bottlenecks. He also cited the weak financial health of discoms and ageing infrastructure as key concerns.
He further noted rising load volatility, which increases the need for demand-side management, time-of-day tariffs and flexible generation assets.
