Kolkata: Metro Railways is going to install Battery Energy Storage System at Noapara, Shyambazar, Central and Jatin Das Park sub-stations. This will be implemented within a year from now, a Metro official stated. Kolkata Metro had floated a tender for commissioning 4 mega watt (MW) four quadrant inverters using Lithium Iron Phosphate or Lithium Titanium Oxide batteries as energy storage element on August 11. One of the significant features of this unit, apart from other revenue saving purposes, is that it can be used to haul stranded trains at 15-20 km/hr speed from mid-tunnel to the next station in case of any power failure or even National Grid Failure, according to Metro. Metro engineers have prepared the specification and innovative blueprint to supply battery-stored power from a particular location to any station of North-South Corridor using an 11 KV ring made of 275 km of cable to haul any stranded train. At four strategic locations, one mega watt inverter each shall be placed to convert battery power to AC 3-phase power to serve the purpose. Apart from this, the BESS system will provide 4 MW power to the Metro system which requires around 32 MW power to run trains during peak hours. This would in turn help Metro Railways to purchase less electricity during peak hours. As a result, expenses of Kolkata Metro will dip significantly.
“It has a potential to save Rs 25 lakh per annum by reducing peak demand. Another Rs 15 lakh on energy bill will be saved for different tariff during day and night,” a Metro
official stated.