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Nagpur Metro, one of Indias greenest metro systems, is facing delays in its ambitious solar expansion project due to a lack of approval from the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL). Despite significant investments in solar infrastructure, the metro network has yet to receive the necessary clearances to reach its goal of being fully powered by solar energy. Currently, 20% of Nagpur Metros energy consumption is sourced from solar power. With plans to increase this to 50%, Maha Metro has been actively expanding its solar capacity, including the recent installation of a 1.5 MW solar setup at its Hingna and MIHAN depots. However, these new installations remain uncommissioned as MSEDCL has not yet approved them. Nagpur Metro consumes about 90,000 units of electricity daily, with approximately 16,500 units coming from solar power. If the metros solar capacity expands to 10 MW, it could cover 50% of its energy needs, resulting in savings of up to Rs 45 lakh per month. This would also reduce its current monthly electricity expenditure of Rs 2.38 crore. Operating under the Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) model, Maha Metro sources solar energy at Rs 3.40 per unit, a significant saving compared to MSEDCLs tariff of Rs 9.68 per unit. In the current fiscal year (2023-24), the metro has generated over 4.715 million units of electricity through solar, exporting more than 770,000 units to the MSEDCL grid under a net-metering agreement. Despite several requests sent on April 23, May 14, and September 2, 2023, to MSEDCL for approval of a 5 MW net-metering arrangement as per the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) guidelines, the approval process remains pending. A senior Maha Metro official stated, We have sent multiple letters to MSEDCL, requesting approval for the newly installed solar systems. Once we get the necessary approvals, we can complete the remaining solar installations within six months and meet our 10 MW target. MSEDCL officials have assured that the approval process is underway and a decision will be taken soon, which would significantly boost the sustainability of Nagpurs public transport system. |
