With over three decades of experience in the power sector, Abhay Harne is a seasoned power generation expert and administrator. He possesses deep expertise in both subcritical and supercritical thermal power plant technologies, particularly within Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited’s (MAHAGENCO) diverse portfolio (13,880 MW total, including thermal, hydro, gas and renewables).
Recognising Maharashtra’s projected power demand surge to 45 GW by 2035, which requires a 7-8 per cent CAGR of capacity, Harne is spearheading MAHAGENCO’s ambitious capacity expansion from the current approximately 13 GW to over 32 GW. His strategy integrates about 3 GW of thermal, 3 GW of pumped storage and over 13 GW of renewable energy sources, ensuring a balanced and sustainable energy mix.
Harne employs robust project management frameworks, including real-time dashboards, war rooms and meticulous performance monitoring, combined with efficient procurement strategies and workforce management.
Harne is actively driving MAHAGENCO’s energy transition by emphasising renewable energy adoption, circular economy principles and strategic capacity additions. Key initiatives under his leadership include large-scale solar, hybrid, wind, pumped storage, green hydrogen and battery energy storage projects, alongside advancements in power trading, coal pipe conveyors and flue gas desulphurisation units.
A lifelong learner, Harne remains deeply engaged with technical literature, expert faculty collaborations and emerging technologies. He is committed to knowledge transfer, training young engineers on industry trends and regulatory updates to build a skilled workforce for the future.
Harne emphasises the critical need for infrastructure development within Maharashtra’s discoms, gencos and transcos to support the projected over 45 GW power load. He is committed to the successful commissioning of renewable energy projects, efficient coal procurement, and delivering affordable, reliable power to consumers while ensuring grid stability and generating revenue from diverse initiatives.
Going forward, Harne’s mission is to lead MAHAGENCO towards sustainable energy production, operational excellence and strategic clean energy expansion.
He is dedicated to improving efficiency, profitability and reliability, making him a valuable asset to the power generation sector.
