Project aims to cut power costs and emissions as NCRTC brings renewable energy into high-speed transit operations

The National Capital Region Transport Corporation will set up a 110-megawatt captive solar power plant in Uttar Pradesh to meet the energy needs of the Delhi–Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor, marking a significant shift towards renewable power in urban rapid transit.

The project has been awarded to NLC India Limited, a central public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Coal, according to an official statement issued on Thursday. The solar plant is expected to be completed within 24 months and is projected to meet nearly 60 per cent of the corridor’s total electricity requirement.
The initiative introduces the concept of a captive solar power plant within the country’s Regional Rapid Transit System and metro networks. The project will be implemented through a joint venture between NCRTC and NLC India.

Once operational, the plant will be connected to the Uttar Pradesh power grid, from where electricity will be supplied to receiving substations located across Uttar Pradesh and Delhi along the corridor.

NCRTC said the project would have a substantial environmental impact, with an estimated reduction of around 1.77 lakh tonne of carbon dioxide emissions annually. Electricity accounts for nearly 30 to 35 per cent of the corporation’s total operating costs for the corridor, and the solar plant is expected to reduce power expenditure by about 25 per cent.

The move aligns with the objectives of the National Solar Mission and is aimed at increasing the share of renewable energy in NCRTC’s transport operations. Officials said the use of solar power would also help curb air pollution by avoiding emissions such as nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide linked to conventional power generation.

The corporation added that the project could serve as a template for other regional and urban transport systems seeking to balance expansion with sustainability goals.