Northeast Frontier Railway expands green energy push with 23.7 MWp solar addition
Northeast Frontier Railway added 23.7 MWp of solar capacity between January and July 2026, the highest among Indian Railways zones. The expansion has lifted its total to 42.1 MWp and strengthened savings and decarbonisation plans.
- Aug 24, 2026,
- Updated Aug 24, 2026, 3:30 PM IST
- Total installed solar capacity across NFR divisions has now reached 42.1 MWp
- Lumding division leads installations, with Guwahati portion pushing capacity to 17.7 MWp
- Rangiya follows at 9.6 MWp, with other divisions supporting the expansion
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has stepped up its green-energy expansion, adding 23.7 MWp of solar power capacity between January and July 2026 — the highest addition among all zonal railways of Indian Railways.
The latest installations have taken NFR's total solar capacity to 42.1 MWp, marking a significant expansion of its renewable energy infrastructure across its divisions and units.
Lumding Division, including the Guwahati portion, has the largest cumulative solar capacity at 17.7 MWp, followed by Rangiya Division with 9.6 MWp. Alipurduar, Katihar and Tinsukia divisions have also contributed to the expansion.
The railway's growing reliance on solar power has also brought financial gains. NFR generated around 114 lakh units of solar electricity in 2025-26, saving approximately Rs 8.6 crore in energy costs. This was a substantial increase from the previous financial year, when about 60 lakh units were generated and savings stood at around Rs 4.4 crore.
The expansion is set to continue, with another 9 MWp of solar capacity currently under implementation across NFR. Major projects are planned in Lumding, Rangiya, Katihar and Alipurduar divisions.
NFR began its solarisation programme in 2011. The continued addition of renewable capacity is aimed at reducing dependence on conventional energy, cutting carbon emissions and lowering the railway's long-term energy expenditure.
The latest expansion forms part of Indian Railways' broader push to increase the use of renewable energy and move towards its net-zero carbon emissions target.
