Hindustan Power, one of India’s leading integrated energy companies, announced that one of its group firms has been awarded a Letter of Intent (LoI) for exploration of the Padhar Platinum Group Elements (PGE) block in Madhya Pradesh, thus marking the group’s entry into India’s critical mineral sector.
The Letter of Intent follows the forward e-auction conducted by the Union Ministry of Mines, in which the group company was declared the preferred bidder. Spanning approximately 200 square km, the Padhar block has been identified as a prospective zone for the exploration of platinum group elements, which are increasingly vital for advanced industrial applications and energy transition technologies. The block also contains zinc deposits.
Commenting on the development, Mr. Ratul Puri, Chairman, Hindustan Power, said “Securing this critical mineral block is an important step in strengthening India’s resource resilience. Platinum group elements are key to next-generation technologies that will shape the future of energy, mobility and advanced manufacturing, including production of clean hydrogen, fuel cells, electronic and catalytic systems.
“With this exploration, we aim to build a reliable domestic resource base for critical minerals, while taking a disciplined and responsible approach. This will support India’s broader priorities of supply chain security and energy leadership.,” Mr Ratul Puri added
On diversification of Hindustan Power’s portfolio, Mr Ratul Puri said, “For Hindustan Power, this exploration reflects the natural evolution of the company as we expand beyond our established strengths in energy into areas that will define the future industrial landscape. Critical minerals such as platinum group elements are becoming increasingly important for technologies linked to clean energy, advanced mobility, and high value manufacturing. Entering this space allows us to participate in a strategic segment that is closely aligned with India’s long term development priorities.”
Platinum group elements, which include platinum, palladium and rhodium are vital in technologies such as hydrogen fuel cells, emission control systems and electrolyzers which are used in green hydrogen production. Zinc is widely used in galvanization, battery technologies and corrosion protection for renewable energy infrastructure.
Recognizing their strategic importance for future industrial and clean energy supply chains, India has identified these minerals to reduce import dependency and strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities.
Besides the critical minerals block, Hindustan Power is currently developing two high-grade coal mines in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand that will also strengthen its presence in conventional mining.
On renewables, Hindustan Power is accelerating its clean energy portfolio through a slew of solar and storage projects, including a recent 435 MWp solar project in Uttar Pradesh and multiple grid-scale solar and battery storage developments secured in 2025.
Together, these initiatives reflect Hindustan Power’s evolving role in India’s energy landscape. They support both conventional resource-led power generation for stability and the rapid growth. The company’s expansion into critical minerals aligns with national priorities to strengthen self-reliant supply chains and accelerate India’s clean energy transition.
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