Lok Sabha Question No. 2872 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-20
Subject: Reducing Energy Consumption in Operation
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Prabhubhai Nagarbhai Vasava

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2872 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.12.2023

## REDUCING ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN OPERATION

2872. SHRI PARBHUBHAI NAGARBHAI VASAVA:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the steps taken by the Railways to reduce energy consumption in its operations;
- (b) whether there is regular monitoring of such steps by the authorities concerned, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  Railways  are  regularly  overhauling  its  machineries  and wiring system for saving energy and to prevent accidents and if so, the details thereof during the last three years; and
- (d) whether Railways encourages its employees through appreciation/award or rewards who contribute towards energy savings in its operations or through suggestions, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2872 BY SHRI PARBHUBHAI NAGARBHAI VASAVA TO BE ANSWERED  IN LOK SABHA ON 20.12.2023 REGARDING  REDUCING ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN OPERATION

- (a) Indian Railways (IR) is committed to take steps for energy conservation and to increase energy efficiency. IR has also issued a comprehensive policy for adoption of energy efficiency measures in non-traction applications which, inter-alia, covers sustainable buildings; cloud based data monitoring and management portal; and energy  efficiency  in  equipment  and  appliances.  The  policy  also provides for procurement of Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) 5 star rated equipment.

Some  of  the  measures  taken  by  IR  for  energy  conservation  are  as follows:

- (i) Railways  has  introduced  Insulated-Gate  Bipolar  Transistor  (IGBT) based 3-phase propulsion system with regenerative braking in Electrical Multiple Unit (EMU) trains, Mainline Electrical Multiple Unit (MEMU), Kolkata Metro rakes and Vande Bharat Trains to conserve energy during the operations.
- (ii) Production  Units  have  completely  switched  over  to  production  of energy  efficient  three-phase  electric  locomotives  with  regenerative braking features.
- (iii) Provision  of  energy  efficient  Light  Emitting  Diode  (LED)  lighting  in Railway  installations  including  Railway  stations,  service  buildings, coaches, EMUs/MEMUs for reduction in electricity consumption.
- (iv) Use of energy efficient Brushless Direct Current (BLDC) motor fans in coaches and buildings.
- (v) Conversion of End on Generation (EOG) trains into Head On Generation (HOG) system in trains to reduce diesel fuel consumption in power cars as well as noise and air pollution.
- (vi) Regular energy audits at consumption points.

- (vii) Regular  counseling  of  Loco  pilots  for  use  of  coasting,  regenerative braking features and switching off blowers of electric locos in case yard detention is more than 15 minutes to save energy.
- (viii)  Locomotive pilots are trained during their initial training  as well as during  promotional  training  and  refresher  courses  for  saving  of energy/fuel  to  achieve  better  energy/fuel  efficiency  by  good  driving technique and better road learning.
- (ix) Guidelines have been issued for provision of energy saving mode on three phase locomotives wherein power supply to Oil Cooling Blower (OCB),  Traction  Motor  Blower  (TMB)  and  Scavenge  Traction  Motor Blower (ScTMB) will be switched off through software logic.
- (x) Trailing  locomotives  of  Multi  Units  (MU)  hauling  light  loads  are switched off to save energy.
- (xi) Provision  of  750V  external  power  supply  at  washing/sick  lines  for maintenance and testing of LHB coaches.
- (xii)  IR  has  been  made  as  designated  consumer  as  part  of  Perform, Achieve  and  Trade  (PAT)  by  Bureau  of  Energy  Efficiency  (BEE)  for improving energy efficiency.
- (xiii)  Provision  of  Automatic  Power  Factor  Controller  panels  in  High Tension/Low Tension panels.
- (xiv)  Use of micro-controller based automatic platform lighting management  system  at  stations  as  per  train  services/passenger requirements.
- (xv) Use of capacitor banks in traction sub-stations to maintain near unity power factor for energy saving.
- (xvi)  Use  of  timer  on  high  mast  tower  lightings/street  lighting/circulating area of Railway stations.
- (xvii) Replacement of conventional geysers with solar geysers.
- (b) The  energy  conservations  steps  taken  by  Railways  are  monitored regularly at Railway Board as well as the Zonal Railways/Production

Units. In this connection, regular inspection and monitoring of energy consumption of major load centres in Divisions and Workshops is also undertaken.

- (c) Regular overhauling of Machinery and Plants as per requirement and maintenance  schedules  is  carried  out  over  Indian  Railways.  Regular maintenance of machineries/ equipments including their overhauling is carried  out  in  accordance  with  the  laid  down  schedules  at  the designated work places. The expenditure incurred on maintenance of Machinery and Plants/Equipments in last three years is as follows:
- (d) Employees  are  awarded/  appreciated  based  on  their  contribution towards energy savings in Railway operations. Employees of divisional wings  are  awarded  based  on  their  performance  in  maintenance, Operation etc. including energy saving initiatives and efforts. 'Electrical  Shield'  is  provided  to  Zonal  Railways/  Divisional  Wings, where  there  is  an  included  criterion  of  Energy  Efficiency  indices. Awards  are  also  given  to  children  of  employees  every  year  during celebration  of  'National  Energy  Conservation  Week'  in  the  month  of December  by  conducting  essay  and  drawing  competition  on  energy saving.  Further,  individual  Railways  are  rewarded  under  different categories for their efforts in the field of energy conservation through National Energy Conservation Awards  by  the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), under Ministry of Power.

FY 2020-21-Rs. 8157.82 Crore

FY 2021-22-Rs. 8641.56 Crore

FY-2022-23-Rs. 9631.38 Crore

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