New Delhi, March 24 (AHN) Adani Power has been assigned an ESG rating of 80.0 by rating agency CareEdge, placing it in the Leadership category -- despite the fact that the company operates in the carbon intensive thermal power sector, it was announced on Tuesday.

India’s largest private power generator significantly outperformed industry benchmarks on the environmental pillar, which carries the highest weight for the power sector.

The Adani Group company recorded an environmental score of 75.6, compared with an industry median of 50.2, driven by reductions in emissions intensity, lower auxiliary power consumption, and improved energy efficiency across its fleet.

More than 60 per cent of Adani Power’s installed capacity is based on supercritical and ultra supercritical technology, enabling higher thermal efficiency and lower coal consumption per unit of electricity generated.

According to the CareEdge note, while Adani Power’s absolute emissions increased during FY25 due to capacity expansion, emissions intensity declined by about 1 per cent year on year, remaining below the sector median.

“Scope 2 emissions were negligible, falling sharply due to reliance on captive generation and the integration of rooftop solar systems for auxiliary and administrative loads,” according to the note.

Adani Power’s decarbonisation strategy is anchored in a phased roadmap toward net zero emissions by 2070, aligned with India’s Nationally Determined Contributions and the Paris Agreement.

In the near term, the company is focusing on efficiency led improvements, while medium and long-term plans include alternative fuels, energy storage, and advanced technologies such as green hydrogen and carbon capture.

The social pillar score of 81.6 reflects strengths in occupational health and safety, community engagement, and employee wellbeing.

Its CSR programmes reached over 1.23 million beneficiaries, with initiatives spanning healthcare, education, livelihoods, and infrastructure, supported by a structured grievance redressal mechanism with full resolution of reported cases, according to the note.

On governance, Adani Power scored 85.8, due to factors like robust compliance framework and strong board oversight.

Adani Power has a generation capacity of 18.15 GW, which is being expanded to 23.72 GW by 2032 through a $22 billion capex programme, India’s largest private sector capex in the sector.