Bhubaneswar: In what would reduce dependency on conventional energy and help save around Rs 14 crore annually by way of energy bill, the East Coast Railway (ECoR) is set to install 21,826 KWp solar power plants at stations, service buildings and level crossing gates under its jurisdiction, official sources said, Wednesday.
Under the initiative, solar power plants will be installed at 149 station buildings, 248 service buildings, 6,924 residential buildings and 366 level crossing gates, ECoR sources said. “The 21,826 KWp solar power plants will help ECoR save around Rs 14 crore annually by way of energy bill and Rs 91.41 lakh per year from carbon credit,” they said. They said tenders have already been floated for Rs 83.79 crore worth solar power plants. “Rs 9.13 crore worth tender has been floated for BrahmapurPalasa Railway section, Rs 8.86 crore for Bhubaneswar-CuttackParadeep-Bhadrak section, Rs 9.48 crore for Angul section, Rs 9.10 crore for headquarters area in Bhubaneswar and Rs 8.74 crore for Khurda Road-Puri section,” they said. The sources added that Rs 8.10 crore tender has been floated for Paradeep-Kendujhargarh section, Rs 7.25 crore for Visakhapatnam area, Rs 7.10 crore for Visakhapatnam Electric Loco Shed area, Rs 8.78 crore for DuvvadaPalasa Main Line/NaupadaGunupur/VizianagaramRayagada area and Rs 7.53 crore for Kottavalasa-Kirandul Rail Line section.
Major station buildings and service buildings like ECoR headquarters building have already been provided with rooftop solar power plants, they said, adding that solar or renewable energy systems have also been installed at most of the level crossing gates under ECoR jurisdiction.