Agartala, April, 2025: In a significant move toward sustainable development and clean energy adoption, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has successfully commissioned a 306.9 kilowatt-peak (KWp) solar power plant at the Uzan Bazar Water Treatment Plant in Guwahati. The solar facility, inaugurated on April 10, 2025, marks a key milestone in NFR’s mission to integrate renewable energy into its operational framework.
The inauguration ceremony was led by Chetan Kumar Shrivastava, General Manager of NFR, and attended by senior railway officials including Samir Lohani, Divisional Railway Manager of Lumding Division, and Sandeep Kumar, Principal Chief Electrical Engineer of NFR.
“This solar power project exemplifies our commitment to a greener and more sustainable future,” said Shrivastava. “It’s not just about energy savings, but about creating an environmentally responsible railway network that aligns with national goals for carbon reduction.”
The state-of-the-art solar power plant, constructed under the Environment and Housekeeping Management (EnHM) fund, is designed to generate approximately 928 units of electricity daily. This is expected to yield annual savings of nearly Rs. 30 lakh in energy costs, offering both economic and environmental dividends.
The installation features 558 monocrystalline solar module plates, each rated at 550 Wp capacity, and is supported by eight inverters from Luminous, providing a combined inverter capacity of 315 KVA. The total project cost amounted to Rs. 2.48 crore, with commissioning completed on March 7, 2025.
Sandeep Kumar highlighted the technical efficiency of the system, stating, “We have ensured that the energy generated here is efficiently routed through a robust electrical network that powers essential operations at the water treatment facility, including barge and jetty systems. This guarantees seamless energy delivery even to remote installations.”
With a payback period of just eight years and an estimated operational life of 25 years, the solar plant is set to provide long-term value to the railway’s operations. More importantly, it reinforces NFR’s larger objective of embracing green technology to reduce dependency on conventional energy sources.
Samir Lohani added, “This initiative sets a benchmark not just for NFR, but for Indian Railways as a whole. We hope this inspires more divisions and zones to replicate such sustainable solutions across the country.”
The project also supports Indian Railways’ broader vision to embed renewable energy into its core infrastructure and significantly reduce its carbon footprint. By integrating clean energy into essential railway facilities, the initiative contributes meaningfully to the national climate agenda.
Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of NFR, Kapinjal Kishore Sharma shared the development in an official press communiqué on Saturday, highlighting the organization’s proactive role in implementing sustainable energy solutions.
“This is just the beginning,” Sharma said. “We are committed to continuing our journey towards a more energy-efficient and environmentally conscious future,” he added.
The successful commissioning of the Uzan Bazar solar power plant not only reflects NFR’s leadership in renewable energy adoption but also reinforces Indian Railways’ resolve to become a net-zero carbon emitter in the coming decades.
