In a first, Delhi Metro runs on solar power

New Delhi: For the first time ever in the history of Delhi Metro operation, the Delhi Metro train operates through the support of solar energy on Violet line in between the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium metro station to Central Secretariat station on Wednesday.

"To mark the beginning of this new arrangement, (Delhi Metro Rail Corporation) DMRC's Managing Director, Dr. Mangu Singh travelled on a Metro powered by solar energy along with Manu Srivastava, Chairperson, Rewa Ultra Mega Solar, Upendra Tripathi, Director General, International Solar Alliance and other senior officials," said DMRC statement.

"The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has started receiving solar power from the Rewa Solar Power Project from today onward. Today, DMRC received 27 MW power from the project based in Madhya Pradesh and the same will gradually increase to 99 MW,"DMRC statement added.

"In year 2017, the DMRC signed the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) of 345 million units per year from Rewa Solar Plant. According to this agreement, DMRC will get electricity at the rate of Rs 2.97 per unit in the first year, later, the unit price will be revised and it will cost to DMRC around Rs 3.30 per unit for next 25 years. Moreover, the DMRC is the first metro to purchase solar energy on the basis of RESCO as Inter State Open Access Consumers," official added.

The official also said that the power received from Rewa will be utilised for the operational as well as auxiliary requirements of the Delhi Metro.

Till now, the solar power generated by the roof top solar plants installed in DMRC premises were utilised for the auxiliary requirements such as lighting and air conditioning of stations, depots etc.

"On an average about 345 MU of power will be received from Rewa in a calendar year. In 2018-19, Delhi Metro consumed about 1092 million units (MU) of power for its operations," official added.

Apart from the power received from Rewa, the Delhi Metro generates about 28 MW of solar power through a number of roof top solar power projects which have been installed on Delhi Metro's stations, residential colonies and depots.

The Delhi Metro is a pioneer in terms of creating solar power generation infrastructure in the country today, said in the DMRC statement.

Rewa Ultra Mega Solar is a solar power plant in the Rewa district of Madhya Pradesh, with a total solar plant capacity of 750 MW. It is one of the largest single-site solar power plants in India and the world.