Net saving amounts to Rs 1.88 Crore
GUWAHATI: Continuing with its aggressive policy for greater use of solar energy in lieu of conventional energy, Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has been able to harness 2300 KW of solar energy during the last Financial Year. In the process a sum of Rs 1.88 crore has been saved.
While Guwahati has already become the first fully solar powered station in NFR, off grid solar plants are being installed in as many as 41 other stations all over the zone totaling to a capacity of 1140 KW.
Out of these 41 stations, work has already been completed at Barahu, Sonuabari and Amoni stations of Lumding Division, while the plants in the remaining stations are to be commissioned by December 2019. An annual yearly saving of Rs. 37.38 lakh is expected to be generated once these plants are commissioned.
Another 730 KW of solar projects are also under commissioning which include the Rail Museum at APDJ (40 KW), RPF Barrack at Alipurduar (300 KW) Coaching Department Guwahati (200 KW) are also to be commissioned by December 2019. These Solar plants which are Grid connected types will yield an annual saving of about 60 lakhs.
The NFR has also targeted for installation of another 2935 KW in the near future for which finalization of terms of reference are in process. This will include a plant of 1000 KW capacity in Mechanical Workshop Bongaigaon, Dibrugarh station, Kamakhya station and Diesel shed at New Guwahati.
It is to be mentioned that all these plants have been set up free of cost under Power Purchase Scheme, where railway will have to buy the solar power from the agency at rates fixed for a period of 25 years. The NFR has already installed solar power in most of its level crossing gates all over the zone.