Sandeep Batra brings 37 years of experience in hydropower development, including survey and investigation, DPR preparation, cost engineering, contracts, project management and quality assurance. During his career, he has managed survey and investigation of the Middle Siang project and served as chief engineer for the Subansiri project in Arunachal Pradesh. At Chenab Valley Power Projects Limited, he successfully managed simultaneous tendering of three major hydro projects. His experience further extends to the operation, maintenance and modernisation of several power stations.
In his current role, as executive director, planning and EDM, NHPC Limited, he heads the corporate planning, environment and diversity management divisions. He is also managing director at APGENCO NHPC Green Energy Limited and holds directorships on the boards of NHPC subsidiaries, including Jal Power Corporation Limited and Loktak Downstream Hydroelectric Corporation Limited.
According to Batra, the Indian power sector has achieved tremendous growth over the past 12 years, with total installed capacity increasing from about 248 GW in 2014 to about 520 GW in January 2026. During the same period, installed capacity from variable renewable energy sources increased significantly from about 35 GW to 212 GW.
However, recent renewable energy capacity additions have outpaced the expansion of transmission infrastructure. Further, despite various reform initiatives such as UDAY and the RDSS, the chronic financial distress of discoms remains a challenge, with accumulated losses reaching about Rs 7 trillion till date. That said, the proposed open access provisions in the distribution sector under the Draft Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025 are expected to promote competition in the distribution sector, leading to improved customer services at competitive prices.
One of Batra’s most significant professional assignments was at Chenab Valley Power Projects Limited, where he oversaw the contracts division. During his tenure, he successfully executed the complex tendering processes for civil, hydromechanical and electromechanical works across three major hydroelectric projects on the Chenab river.
He believes that it is important to create workplace synergy by empowering co-workers, placing confidence in them and recognising their contributions.
Batra holds a BTech (civil) degree and a postgraduate diploma in financial management.