With Energy Demands Rising, Indian Railways Eyes Nuclear Power For Traction Needs

Indian Railways has approached the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) and the Ministry of Power to seek the allocation of nuclear energy to meet its growing power demands.

In response to a query in the Rajya Sabha, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated, "Indian Railways is exploring all possible energy options, including nuclear energy. It is considering sourcing power from both existing and upcoming nuclear power plants to fulfill part of its traction power requirements."

He added that nuclear energy, being a clean and reliable source, would help reduce Indian Railways' dependence on fossil fuels, thereby cutting carbon emissions.

“The NPCIL and the Ministry of Power have been approached for the allocation of nuclear power to Indian Railways,” Vaishnaw informed, noting that the power requirement for Railways continues to increase year-on-year. 

Indian Railways, one of the largest transportation systems in the world, is ranked as the fourth-largest railway network globally. The main sources of energy for its train operations are electricity and diesel.

Fuel costs are a major component of Indian Railways' operational expenses. It accounted for 15.81 per cent, 16.54 per cent, 16.71 per cent and 14.13 per cent of the working expenses in 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2020-21, respectively. The cost rose to 14.53 per cent in 2021-22. After salaries and pensions, fuel is the third-highest revenue expenditure component for Indian Railways.

Given the cost and environmental advantages, Indian Railways is gradually shifting from diesel to electric traction.

Since 2014-15, Indian Railways has electrified about 45,200 route kilometers of its broad gauge network. Electrification has significantly accelerated from 1.42 km per day between 2004 and 2014 to around 19.7 km per day in 2023-24, based on November 2024 data. From 388 km in 1951, the electrification network has rapidly expanded, approaching nearly 100 per cent coverage.

In its pursuit of becoming a Net Zero Carbon emitter by 2030, Indian Railways is actively pursuing a combination of nuclear, solar, and wind energy sources.

As of November 2024, approximately 487 MW of solar power (both rooftop and ground-mounted) and 103 MW of wind energy capacity have been commissioned. Additionally, 100 MW of Round-the-Clock Renewable Energy (RE-RTC) is already in operation, with a total of 2,014 MW of renewable capacity tied up.