NTPC board approves ₹20,457 crore investment in Lara Stage-III thermal project; shares rise

NTPC shares rallied as much as 1.1% to ₹348.35 apiece on the NSE on Monday, July 13, as the state-run power giant's board on Saturday approved a ₹20,456.70 crore investment for 1,600 MW Lara Super Thermal Power Project Stage-III in Chhattisgarh.

"The Board of Directors of NTPC Limited in its meeting held today, i.e., 11th July 2026, has, inter alia, approved investment proposal for Lara Super Thermal Power Project, Stage-III (2x800 MW) at current estimated cost of Rs 20,456.70 crore," the company said in an exchange filing on Saturday.

On June 5, NTPC sought bids from technology solutions players to help its sub-critical thermal power units operate at lower loads and ensure flexibility for the electricity distribution network to use both thermal and renewable energy more efficiently.

The project will require providing technical support to sub-critical thermal units ranging between 150 MW and 250 MW, enabling them to operate in two shifts and at a minimum technical load of 25%, NTPC had said in a statement.

Sub-critical thermal units can offer greater flexibility compared to supercritical and ultra-supercritical technologies for certain grid-balancing requirements because of fewer parameter swings and hence low fatigue, NTPC had said, adding that their ability to operate efficiently at lower loads and adapt to frequent cycling makes them a potential enabler for higher renewable energy integration in the future.

Recent developments

In June 2026, NTPC said it had incorporated 'NTPC (Mauritius) Energy Limited' as a wholly-owned subsidiary in Mauritius.

NTPC (Mauritius) Energy Ltd will undertake development of the proposed Floating Solar Photovoltaic (FSPV) Project with Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and undertake any Power Projects & other businesses related to the power sector in Mauritius, a regulatory filing said.

The NTPC (Mauritius) Energy Ltd was incorporated on June 26, 2026.

The entity has been set up with a capital of 1,000,000 Mauritius Rupee (MUR) — ₹19,80,000 (INR).

NTPC Q4 FY26 earnings

Power giant NTPC posted an over 34% jump in consolidated net profit to ₹10,614.95 crore during the March quarter (Q4 FY26) compared to the year-ago period.

The company had reported a net profit of ₹7,897.14 crore in the same quarter a year ago, NTPC said in an exchange filing.

However, its total income fell to ₹50,410.58 crore in the March quarter of FY26 from ₹51,085.05 crore seen in the fourth quarter of the preceding 2024-25 financial year.

The company trimmed expenses to ₹43,237.90 crore from ₹43,390.76 crore logged in the year-ago period.

In a separate statement, NTPC said its consolidated net profit for FY26 rose by 15% to ₹27,546 crore, up from ₹23,953 crore in FY25.

"The strong performance was bolstered by a 29% increase in the share of joint venture profits, which reached ₹2,864 crore," it said.

Subsidiaries also earned a profit of ₹3,312 crore for FY26.

NTPC's coal plants achieved a Plant Load Factor of 72.04% during FY26, significantly outperforming the Rest of India Coal PLF of 63.20%.

The board has also approved a final interim dividend of ₹3.5 per equity share for FY26.

About NTPC

NTPC Limited is India's largest power generation company and a Maharatna public sector enterprise. Its portfolio comprises coal-based thermal, gas, hydro, solar and wind power projects, with an increasing focus on renewable energy.

Alongside expanding generation capacity, NTPC is investing in cleaner energy technologies and grid flexibility as India moves towards a more diversified power mix.

The company supplies electricity to state utilities and distribution companies across the country.