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Metro Rail aims 25MW solar power generation

The Nagpur Metro Rail Corporation Limited (NMRCL) will file a petition with the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) for installing solar panels having total capacity of 25MW on its infrastructure. The regulator's nod is necessary for any consumer who wants to install panels having capacity of more than 1MW.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, Brijesh Dixit, managing director of NMRCL, said panels having total capacity of 14MW would be installed in the first phase. "We want to meet 65% of our energy requirement through solar energy. Around 40% of the operational cost of any Metro Rail is electricity. As the present cost of the solar power is half of the power that is supplied by MSEDCL, it will lead to a saving of 20% in operational cost. NMRCL had roped in a technical consultant for estimating potential of solar energy generation and preparation of a business plan. The detailed project report (DPR) for solarization is now ready. Our aim is to create 25MW capacity," he added.

As a part of the pilot project, NMRCL has already installed solar panels in its Civil Lines office. "We want to know beforehand what problems will be faced while going for solar power. We have also purchased an electric car, which we charge with solar power, as we want to run our feeder bus service on solar power," Dixit said. This car was unveiled by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday evening.