Bina solar project will help Railways save crores
| Date :07-Nov-2019 |
Staff Reporter :
1.7 megawatt solar power plant is set up at 37153.87 sqm of vacant land
The plant will produce 25 lakh unit electricity annually
Moving a step closer to its dream project, Railways has set up a 1.7 megawatt solar power plant in Bina. The project was inaugurated on Wednesday. Apart from electricity bills, this project would have significant role in reduction of carbon dioxide from Bina city. Inauguration was done at the hands of Member of Parliament from Sagar Rajbahadur Singh and MLA Mahesh Rai. Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Uday Borwanker and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion. In his address, DRM Borwanker said that solar power is clean energy as it does not harm our environment. He said that Indian Railways is working hard towards solar power.
The power plant has been set up with technical support of BHEL. This is first of its kind project in India. He said that solar power produce in this plant will be fed in electricity line. This is 1.7 megawatt solar power plant set up at 37153.87 square meter of vacant land of Railways. The plant will be producing DC voltage that would be converted into 25,000 volt single phase, AC through inverter and transformer. It would be producing 25 lakh unit electric annually and Railways will be saving 1.40 crore annually. Addressing the gathering, MP Rajbahadur Singh said, “it is pleasure for Bina residents that the new project of Railways has been set up here.”
Railway is also working to set up power plants in Neemuch, Agar and Shajapur. Apart from Bina, solar power plant is also being set up in Itarsi in collaboration with a private company. Concerned over the expenditure on electricity, Railways has planned to use solar power for train. If all goes well, Bina and Itarsi would have the solar power plant to provide electricity to all stations and trains under Bhopal division. A private company has been given responsibility to set up the power plant. Railways is providing space to the company and all expenses of equipment, machinery, labourers, etc would be from the company. The company will be providing electricity to the Railways at a cheaper cost.
Railway officials said that it would require about 7 acre of land to set up the plant. Electricity produced with the solar power plant will be used for daily task at stations and colonies. Remaining electricity will be used for running train after connecting the Overhead Electric Line (OHL) with grids. At present, the solar power plant set up at Bhopal Railway Station is producing 750 mega watt electricity. The electricity produced in this plant is being used in railway offices and staff colonies. According to sources, apart from Bina and Itarsi, solar power plant is also being set up at Shajapur, Neemuch and Agar where about 1500 mega watt electricity will be produced. Railways has written letter to Renewable Energy Department purchase the electricity from this plant. The department would be providing about 207 mega watt electricity to Railway from these three plants.