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Indian Railways to use nuclear power for green energy push
Industry News- Aug 28,24
IR will need 30,000 MW of renewable capacity by 2029-30 to achieve this goal.
Indian Railways is exploring nuclear power as part of its strategy to increase reliance on non-fossil fuel and renewable energy sources. The Railways aims to become a net-zero carbon emitter by 2030 and estimates it will need 30,000 MW of renewable capacity by 2029-30 to achieve this goal.
In addition to nuclear power, Indian Railways is actively commissioning solar and wind power units and plans to utilise hydel power. The focus will be on establishing captive power generation units across these sources. Discussions with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) are expected to commence soon. The Railways is also exploring partnerships with organisations like Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), NTPC, and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to leverage renewable energy sources.
"In each case, we will focus on developing captive power plants, including small reactors, to reduce operating costs," a senior official stated. Indian Railways, as the largest consumer of electricity in the country, currently spends approximately Rs 200 billion annually on power for its trains and offices.
The push towards renewable energy is already underway. In 2023, the Railways commissioned 147 MW of solar plants and 103 MW of wind power plants. An additional 2,150 MW of renewable capacity has also been secured. As of FY24, nearly 63,500 Route Kilometers (rkms) of the Railways' network—over 96% of the total broad-gauge network—has been electrified. Solar rooftop plants, with a total generation capacity of 177 MW, have been installed at 2,637 stations and service buildings.
Zonal Railways, including North Frontier Railway (NFR) and Central Railway, are rolling out initiatives to tap into renewable energy as part of their green strategies. "The initial focus will be on circuits served by the Nabinagar Thermal Power Plant, where we already have some infrastructure in place," the official added.
This isn't the first time Indian Railways has considered nuclear power. In 2013, when the peak power demand was around 4,000 MW, there were preliminary discussions with NPCIL to establish a 400 MW nuclear power plant. However, a proposed joint venture with the Department of Atomic Energy faced setbacks in 2017 when the Railways declined a partnership offer.
(Business Line)
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