Rlys seeks nuclear energy allocation for trains from NPCIL, Power Ministry

The Railways has approached the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) and the Ministry of Power for the allocation of nuclear energy to meet its increasing power requirement, the Rajya Sabha was recently informed.

"The power requirement of the Indian Railways (IR) is increasing consistently year on year. IR is exploring all the possible options of energy including nuclear energy.

"IR has been exploring the option of sourcing power from existing as well as upcoming nuclear power plants to meet part of its traction power requirement, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in a written reply in the Upper House on February 7.

Trinamool Congress MP Sagarika Ghose raised the issue of use of nuclear energy to supply power to Railways and asked "whether development and advancement has been made in the railway sector to use nuclear energy to reduce usage of fossil fuels to power trains".

Ghose also wanted to know the implications of using nuclear energy as well as its impact on the environment and whether nuclear energy shall be used regularly to supply power to railways.

Responding to the query, Vaishnaw said, Nuclear power being a clean and reliable source of power will help IR in reducing the dependence on fossil fuels, thereby reducing carbon emissions.

He said the Railways has approached NPCIL and Ministry of Power for the allocation of nuclear power.