Guwahati, August 23: The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has successfully achieved a total solar power capacity of 42.1 megawatts in its zone since launching its solarization initiative in 2011, as of July 2026.
Kapingal Kishore Sharma, the Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of NFR, stated that the railway is making significant strides towards green energy and sustainable railway operations by expanding solar power infrastructure across its divisions and units.
He noted, “From January to July 2026, we commissioned 23.7 megawatts of solar power capacity, the highest among all zonal railways in Indian Railways.”
With this achievement, NFR’s total installed solar capacity has reached 42.1 megawatts as of July 2026 since the initiative began in 2011.
In terms of divisions, the Lumding division, including Guwahati, has the highest total solar power installation capacity at 17.7 megawatts, followed by the Rangiya division with 9.6 megawatts. The Alipurduar (West Bengal), Katihar (Bihar), and Tinsukia (Assam) divisions have also made significant contributions to enhancing NFR’s overall solar power capacity, reinforcing its commitment to clean and sustainable energy.
Officials reported that solar installations have provided NFR with substantial operational and financial benefits. According to the NFR CPRO, solar power production reached approximately 11.4 million units during the financial year 2025-26, resulting in savings of around ₹8.6 crores.
This marks a remarkable increase of nearly 90% in solar energy production and 95.45% in financial savings compared to 2024-25, when about 6 million units of solar energy were produced, saving approximately ₹4.4 crores.
The significant growth in solar production and cost savings reflects NFR’s ongoing efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, promote clean energy, and optimize energy expenditures.
Reinforcing its commitment to green energy, NFR is currently working on installing an additional 9 megawatts of solar power capacity across various divisions in different phases. Sharma mentioned plans for large installations in the Lumding, Rangiya, Katihar, and Alipurduar divisions, which are expected to significantly increase NFR’s total renewable energy capacity in the near future.
These initiatives reaffirm NFR’s dedication to sustainable and environmentally friendly railway operations and its active contribution to Indian Railways’ vision of achieving net-zero carbon emissions.
The continuous expansion of solar power not only aids in reducing carbon emissions and protecting the environment but also provides long-term economic benefits through cost savings, while promoting better energy efficiency and self-reliance.
NFR, headquartered in Maligaon near Guwahati, operates in the northeastern states as well as in seven districts of West Bengal and five districts of Bihar.
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