Indian Railways have Installed about 209 MW of Solar Plants

Till February 2025, Indian railways have installed about 209 MW of solar plants on 2249 railway stations and service buildings across the country.

More than 1480 additions have been made in the last five years, 2.3 times more than in the previous five years. The eastern state of Rajasthan leads in solar power expansion with 275 installations, followed by Maharashtra (270), West Bengal (237), Uttar Pradesh (204), and Andhra Pradesh (198). 

Indian Railways is making all endeavors to promote solar energy in line with the government policies to promote renewable energy and environmental sustainability, and achieve long-term financial savings. 

Installing solar plants at railway stations can reduce the reliance on the grid, leading to lower electricity bills. Given that railway stations operate continuously, the ability to harness solar energy can help save a considerable amount of money over time.

These plants can power lighting, signage, air conditioning, and other electrical equipment within the station, making the operations more self-sufficient.

In 2021, the railways became one of the pioneers in India to make a net-zero commitment by 2030, and it has since then taken a series of steps to achieve the ambitious goal.

Apart from installing solar plants at railway stations, to reduce electricity consumption, energy-efficient Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting is made in all railway installations, including stations, service buildings, residential quarters and coaches.

At the Global Investors Summit 2025 in Bhopal, India’s Minister for Railways, Mr Ashwini Vaishnaw, outlined Indian Railways’ vision for electrification and the adoption of alternative energy sources.

Indian Railways has planned to progressively procure renewable energy through different power procurement modes for Round The Clock (RTC) power, which is a hybrid solution for renewable power, including solar and wind, etc. Most of the work of setting up solar plants is undertaken by the Railways through a Power Purchase Agreement under developer mode.