DMRC invites bids for supply of 500 million units of renewable energy

In a major step towards expanding its renewable energy footprint, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has invited bids for the supply of 500 million units (MUs) of renewable energy every year. The initiative marks another milestone in DMRC’s ongoing efforts to promote sustainable and environment-friendly operations.

At present, the DMRC meets a substantial part of its electricity requirement through green sources by sourcing around 350 MUs annually from Rewa Solar Park and generating an additional 40 MUs from rooftop solar plants installed across its stations, depots and staff colonies. With this, renewable energy accounts for about 33 per cent of the total power used during operational hours and nearly 65 per cent during daytime operations.

The new tender aims to select a solar power developer to set up a grid-connected captive generating plant along with a battery energy storage system (BESS) anywhere in India. The plant will supply 500 MUs of renewable energy annually to the DMRC facilities in Delhi and the National Capital Region.

Through this initiative, the DMRC aims to raise the share of renewable energy in its total power portfolio from the current 33 per cent to over 60 per cent, including its upcoming Phase IV expansion network. Once implemented, the DMRC will become the first Metro rail project in India to source more than 60 per cent of its total power from renewable sources, marking a significant stride towards low carbon and sustainable urban transport.

The project is expected to be completed within 15 months from the date of award, with a power purchase agreement period of 25 years. The bid process will be conducted in accordance with the approved government norms.

This initiative aligns with the Government of India’s Panchamrit strategy, the five-point climate action agenda announced at COP26, and reflects the DMRC’s commitment to a cleaner and more resilient energy future.

Notably, the Delhi Metro sources its electricity from both renewable and non-renewable sources. Renewable sources include off-site solar power plant at the Rewa Ultra Mega Solar project in Madhya Pradesh.

Meanwhile, the DMRC also generates its own solar power from photovoltaic panels installed on the rooftops of stations, depots and residential colonies. As of 2025, the total on-site rooftop solar capacity was 51 MW. It also sources a small amount of electricity from a waste-to-energy plant in Ghazipur.

While the remaining portion of the energy mix is met by power supplied from DISCOMs in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

In a step towards the sustainability goal, the DMRC had also installed the country’s first vertical bifacial solar plant at the Okhla Vihar Metro station.