NEW DELHI: The day is not far off when Indian Railways will power its trains with nuclear energy. In addition to working on the hydrogen-fuelled train project, the Railways is exploring the possibility of using nuclear energy to meet the growing power demand for train services.
The Ministry of Railways recently informed the Rajya Sabha about its efforts to explore this option. The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and the Ministry of Power both have been approached to explore this possibility.
Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, replying to a query, said, “Railways is exploring all possible energy options, including nuclear energy. It has been investigating the use of power from both existing and upcoming plants to meet part of its traction power needs.”
He added that nuclear power, being a clean and reliable energy source, will assist Indian Railways in reducing its dependence on fossil fuels, thus cutting carbon emissions.
“The NPCIL and the Ministry of Power have been approached for the allocation of nuclear power to Indian Railways,” Vaishnaw informed, adding that the power requirement for Railways continues to increase year-on-year. Besides this, the Railways has also initiated a cutting-edge project to develop its first hydrogen-powered train on a pilot basis, retrofitting a Hydrogen Fuel Cell onto Diesel Electric Multiple Unit rakes.
According to the railways, the specifications for this fully indigenously developed train have been prepared by the Research Design and Standards Organisation, and it is set to become one of the longest hydrogen trains in the world today. “It will also be one of the most powerful hydrogen trains globally,” the ministry said.
Speaking about the project, Railways sources said that all necessary safety approvals for the facility layout from the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation are in place. The hydrogen train project underscores Railways’ commitment to advancing alternative energy-powered train travel.