To save on rising electricity bills, metro rail corporations across the country are going solar in a big way.
While Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has already taken the lead in this regard followed by its counterpart in Jaipur by setting up power plants on the rooftop of their stations, other metro rails like those in Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore are following the suit.
A senior official from the Union Urban Development Ministry said that the DMRC has plans to install solar Photo Voltaic (PV) power plants of 20 Mega Watt power (MWp) capacity by 2017 on the rooftops of its stations, depots and office buildings under Renewable Energy Service Companies (RESCO) model through open competitive bidding.
In this model, the developer will invest the entire cost of solar plant while DMRC will pay for the energy generated at a tariff as agreed mutually in the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).
Out of this, 6.3 MWp solar plant capacity has been installed and made operational till date.
The official from the Ministry, which has the mandate to oversee the working of the metros in the country, said that the Jaipur Metro Rail Corporation ltd. (JMRC) has informed that they have installed a 100 KWp roof mounted solar power plant at its Mansarovar Depot and it is under operation since last December.
Similarly, Chennai Metro Rail limited (CMRl) has awarded the work for installation of 1 MW solar energy on the rooftop on its metro stations while Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation ltd. (BMRCl), Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and Mumbai Metro One Pvt. ltd. (MMoPl) are in the process of doing the same soon.
"The electricity prices are going through the roof while its demand is on increase. It is important that the metros go green to cut down power cost," the official explained.
For instance, DMRC's expenditure on electricity in the last three years has increased steadily from Rs 399.86 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 468.55 crore and 526.40 crore in the following two years.