Largest Rooftop Solar Power Point at Katra Railway Station – a revolution by Northern Railway

Green top on Shrimata Vaishno Devi Katra Railway Station meets energy needs of 5000 KWs daily

Largest Rooftop Solar Power Point at Katra Railway Station – a revolution by Northern Railway

Ferozepur, November 1, 2015 : Green Tops on railway stations are increasing viewed as significant options towards a new solar power revolution on the Railways. In keeping with the motto of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle for sustainable development and as a significant way to thwart climate change impact, Northern Railway has been undertaking several green initiatives.

As the use of Solar Power as a near-consistent and reliable source of energy has been a considered viewed, the Railways has been on a steady pursuit meeting energy needs through a planned green agenda. One of the most significant achievements in the current year was the installation of the 1 Mega-watt Solar Power Plant Katra, railway sources said.

While inaugurating opening of  Udhampur-Katra new Railway Line of USBRL Project (a National Project ), on 4 July, 2014, Hon-ble Prime Minister directed to provide Solar Power Plant at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Railway Station as a green energy initiative to be a part of National Solar Mission. Chairman Railway Board committed to PM for providing the Solar Power Plant at Katra Railway Station by March-2015.

Accordingly, the first ever largest solar power plant on Indian Railways and the biggest rooftop Solar Power plant in J & K state having capacity of 1 MWp was commissioned at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Railway station on 27.03.2015.
The installation of this 1 MWp roof top grid connected Solar Power Plant work was awarded  on 07.10.2014 to M/s Rajasthan Electronics and Instruments Ltd. Jaipur (CPSU-Under Ministry of Heavy Industries) against open bidding  which also including Comprehensive Maintenance Contract for a period of 5 years at a cost of Rs 8.52 Crores with a  capacity to generate 14.6 lakh units per annum. The accrued benefit envisaged was reduction of 10000 tonns of carbon di oxide per annum and a saving of Rs 1 crore per annum on energy bills to the Railway.  This plant was commissioned in three phases i.e. In First Phase 300 KWp at Platform No-2/3 in Dec-2014, In second phase 500 KWp at Platform No-1 in Jan-2015 and 200 KWp in final phase on roof top of Station building in March 2015.
The  1 MWp Solar Power plant consists of 300 KWp installed on Platform No. 2/3, 550 KWp on PF-1, 100 KWp on rooftop of the station building and  50 KWp on pathway shelter. DC Electric power is generated from 4000 nos. Solar Photo Voltaic panels  installed in station premises. 20 nos. String Inverters of 50 KW capacity each convert DC power generated by Solar Panels to 415 volts AC power. The output from these Inverters goes o LT Panels which acts as a combiner box and parallel all the inverters connected to it. The output are connected to HT panel at Substations. The feedback from various inverters and faults, if any, can be viewed at SCADA system which is installed at 1250 substation.

The 1 MWp Solar Power Plant here has the capacity to produce approximately 5000 Units(KWH) per day under fair weather conditions. The connected load of the station including domestic area is 4603 KW. The sanctioned load of the station is 2000 KW whereas the maximum demand is 365 KW.

A mutually beneficial arrangement has been made out for import/export of excess energy production with Power Development Department of J & K govt. Presently, out of 5000 units produced only 1700 to 1800 units are utilized by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Railway Station, whereas, 3200 to 3300 units are exported to Power Development Department of J & K govt.

Keeping in view the total capacity to produce units by 1 MWp Solar Power Plant, the payback period is  8 to 9 years approx. since the saving per year is 1 crore( approx.) on the basis of its capacity to generate electrical energy of 14, 45,000 units per year(approx.)

In keeping with its objective to resort to more eco-friendly measures and a measure to strengthen the mechanism to cater to energy demands, Northern Railway has installed a 25 kb power Solar Energy Panel at Gurgaon station in collaboration with RITES,  followed up with installation of solar power panels at Bahadurgarh railway station, Diwana(near Panipat), Divisional Control Building in DRM office, New Delhi, Delhi Cantt., Sahibabad and with concomitant measures like installation of solar geysers at Northern Railway Central Hospital. More stations are on the anvil.

The use of Solar power is also envisaged to cut diesel consumption on trains while meet hotel load requirements at station premises and railway buildings.