Apex industry body Indian Electrical & Electronics Manufacturers’ Association (IEEMA) hosted the inaugural edition of ElectraNorth 2026, the Northern Region’s flagship conclave for the power and electrical equipment industry, at New Delhi, on July 30, 2026.
The platform brought together policymakers, utilities, manufacturers, technology providers and financiers to deliberate on investment priorities, the regional capex outlook, emerging demand engines and the growth of SMEs in India’s power sector ecosystem.
Dominance of northern region
Speaking at the inaugural as Chief Guest, Shri Ghanshyam Prasad, Chairperson, Central Electricity Authority, said, “The country’s peak demand always coincides with the northern region, and the growth in the northern states is phenomenal, with Uttar Pradesh alone crossing 32,000 MW of demand. When a region dominates the country’s consumption profile the way the north does, its manufacturing ecosystem must be equally strong. Last year saw our highest ever capacity addition, led overwhelmingly by renewables, and this momentum will only continue. Battery energy storage and hydro pump storage will see exponential growth in the future. We have a target of 100GW for hydro pump storage; we commissioned 2.6 GW last year and will aim for 3.2 GW this year and we will slowly scale this up.”
Towards better transformers
Dr Ashish Kumar Goel, IAS, ACS Energy, Government of Uttar Pradesh and Chairman, UPPCL, UPPTCL and UPRVUNL, delivered the keynote as Special Guest of Honour. He said, “We will build our industrial strength not by lobbying to continue outdated specifications but by investing in R&D and owning our technologies. In Uttar Pradesh we raised the transformer warranty to 10 plus 2 years, and while the industry initially resisted, more than 70 manufacturers are participating in our tenders today and building a better product.”
Empowering consumers
Presenting the Punjab story, Dr Basant Garg, IAS, Administrative Secretary, Power, Government of Punjab and CMD, PSPCL and PSTCL, said, “PSPCL today enjoys an A+ rating, and we are investing heavily in the network with a 765kV substation, four 400kV substations and more than 20 additional substations planned over the next two years, alongside a strong thrust on battery storage. With over 20 lakh consumers already on smart meters, we must now position smart metering not merely as a loss-reduction tool but as one that empowers consumers.” He also invited IEEMA to work with the state to widen participation in procurement tenders without compromising on quality.
Clear demand visibility needed
Vikram Gandotra, President, IEEMA, said, “IIP data released just two days back recorded a 23-month high of 7.3 per cent, with electrical equipment manufacturing clocking a 34 per cent jump driven by switchgear, circuit breakers, UPS systems and meter panels. Our industry has an investment pipeline of more than $3.5 billion, and to build this capex further, we need clear demand visibility and procurement timelines. It is not just domestic momentum but global opportunities that fuel my optimism, with recent FTAs and the upcoming EU agreement set to provide the next big growth impetus. To succeed globally, we must anchor ourselves in sustainability, quality and reliability, backed by real investment in R&D.”
Next wave of discom investment
Delivering the keynote at the CEO session, Sarit Maheshwari, CEO, NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd, outlined NTPC’s roadmap of 60 GW of renewables by 2032, a 33 GWh battery storage pipeline and the Rs 1.85 lakh crore Pudimadaka green hydrogen hub, inviting the industry to partner in the mission. In the session on the regional investment outlook, Abhishek Ranjan, CEO, BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd, said the next wave of discom investment will move towards reliability, digitalisation, cybersecurity and enabling prosumers, supported by clear ten-year grid roadmaps. The afternoon sessions examined new demand engines, including EV charging, data centres and AI-driven manufacturing, and pathways for SMEs to enter global supply chains before the day concluded with the IEEMA Members’ Meet and networking dinner.
Unprecedented bookings
Sharing an update on ELECRAMA 2027, Hartek Singh, Chairman, ELECRAMA 2027 and Vice President, IEEMA, said demand for the upcoming edition has surpassed all previous records, with two additional halls added during booking, all four thematic sponsorships sold out on day one and Germany confirmed as Partner Country.
Aligned to IEEMA’s vision
Imteyaz Siddiqui, Chairman, Northern Region, IEEMA, said the event has been curated to showcase the strength of the region, spotlight the business opportunities emerging in the power sector and enable members to learn from each other’s best practices.
ElectraNorth 2026 is closely aligned with IEEMA’s vision of building a globally competitive Indian electrical and electronics industry by activating the regions. Its mission is to serve as a strategic institution and enabler the industry. IEEMA is strengthening its regional platforms and deepening engagement with policymakers and utilities. By bringing together manufacturers, utilities, and state governments from the Northern Region, the conclave turns that vision into specific discussions about demand visibility, quality, technology, and readiness for exports.