Ravindra D. Chavan is a transmission industry veteran and has worked across several domains including supply chain management, quality enhancement and business development. At present, he is director (projects), Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited (MSETCL), one of the largest state transmission utilities in the country.
In his current role, he is responsible for concept to commissioning of extra high voltage projects including design, contract and monitoring, post-tender activities, and project capitalisation of almost Rs 12 billion per annum. He has been closely associated with the introduction of the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) process in intra-state transmission projects in Maharashtra. Currently, he is also serving as chairman of Jaigad PowerTransco Limited, a joint venture (JV) between MSETCL and JSW Energy, which is a pioneering example of public-private partnership to develop transmission systems in Maharashtra; and chairman of Maharashtra Transmission Communication Infrastructure Limited, a JV between Sterlite Technologies Limited and MSETCL.
Talking about how MSETCL has been responding to the challenges resulting from the current Covid-19 pandemic, Chavan remarks, “Operations and maintenance is being carried out in a regular way, and availability and supply quality have not been disrupted. The initial challenges, to maintain infrastructure due to restrictions on the mobility of resources, have now been addressed. MSETCL has also started carrying out virtual inspections for quality.”
Highlighting the key challenges that the company faces with respect to the recovery of the aggregate revenue requirement from discoms, Chavan says, “We will be back on track, as the Power Finance Corporation and REC Limited are providing funding assistance to discoms.”
He adds that in the long run MSETCL’s projects are less likely to be impacted due to the pandemic. In fact, MSETCL has recently awarded a TBCB project, the 400 kV Vikhroli GIS substation and associated transmission lines in Mumbai.
Chavan is an electrical engineer from the University of Pune and has an MBA in finance. He also holds a certification as lead auditor ISO 9000 from IRCA, London. He has accreditation as energy auditor from the Bureau of Energy Efficiency. Currently, he is pursuing foundation PhD in Business Administration from All India Management Association, Delhi.