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The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) is making significant progress towards its commitment to green energy and sustainable railway operations through the expansion of solar power infrastructure across its divisions and units.
As a major green-energy milestone, 23.7 MWp of solar power capacity was commissioned from January to July 2026, the highest among all Zonal Railways of Indian Railways. With this achievement, the total installed solar capacity across NFR has reached 42.1 MWp as of July 2026, since the inception of its solarisation initiative in 2011. Among the divisions, Lumding Division, including the Guwahati portion, has achieved the highest cumulative solar power installation of 17.7 MWp, followed by Rangiya Division with 9.6 MWp. Alipurduar, Katihar and Tinsukia Divisions have also made significant contributions towards enhancing NFR's overall solar power capacity, further strengthening its commitment to clean and sustainable energy. The solar installations have delivered significant operational and financial benefits for NFR. During the financial year 2025-26, solar power generation reached approximately 114 lakh units, resulting in savings of around Rs. 8.6 crores. This marks an increase of approximately 90% in solar energy generation and 95.45% in financial savings compared to 2024-25, when around 60 lakh units of solar energy were generated, resulting in savings of approximately Rs. 4.4 crores. The substantial growth in solar generation and cost savings reflects NFR's sustained efforts towards reducing its carbon footprint, promoting clean energy and optimising energy expenditure. Further strengthening its commitment to green energy, NFR has 9 MWp of additional solar power capacity currently under various stages of implementation across its divisions. Major installations are planned in Lumding, Rangiya, Katihar and Alipurduar Divisions, which are expected to significantly augment NFR's overall renewable energy capacity in the near future. These initiatives reaffirm Northeast Frontier Railway's commitment to sustainable and environment-friendly railway operations and its proactive contribution towards Indian Railways' vision of becoming a net-zero carbon emitter. The continued expansion of solar power not only helps in reducing carbon emissions and conserving the environment but also provides long-term economic benefits through savings in energy costs, while promoting greater energy efficiency and self-reliance. (ANI)
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