MANUFACTURING AND INSPECTION OF BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM (BESS) PACK COMPLETE TO HAUL STRANDED METROS FROM THE MID SECTION IN CASE OF POWER CUT OR GRID FAILURE

Bongobarta Bureau,
Metro Railway, Kolkata, India’s first Metro, is going to achieve another feat very soon. It has been the torch-bearer in introducing new technologies, innovative ideas and running trains under the river in Indian Railways for the first time to provide commuters a fast and comfortable journey. Now our Metro is gearing up to introduce a new technology which would be another first-of-its kind initiative in the country to further ensure commuters safety and improve energy consumption.
In order to ensure passengers’ safety in an eco-friendly way, Metro Railway is going to install Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at Central sub-station of Blue Line very soon. This new system, an amalgamation of inverters and Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) Batteries, is capable of doing wonders in case of a sudden power cut or grid failure. As per the National Programme on Advanced Chemistry Cell Battery Storage approved by the Union Cabinet in 2021 with budgetary outlay of more than Rs.18,000 crores, this scheme has been envisaged in Metro Railway, first time among all Zones of Indian Railways as well as all other Metro systems in India, to strengthen the eco-system for electric mobility and battery storage. Foreign multi-nationals like Siemens, Toshiba, Delta and Eaton have already expressed their eagerness to work with Metro Railway, Kolkata to implement this ambitious project. Order was placed through an open bidding process to Delta Electronics Pvt. Ltd. on 4th may of the last year, to install 4 MW BESS with 6.4 MWh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery as energy storage element.
Layout plan and manufacturing clearance was issued in the month of September-October 2024. With fast-track processing and manufacturing, the Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) Battery pack (LFP type) was ready for inspection in January 2025. Inspection was scheduled in the first week of February, 2025. A team consisting of Shri Abhishek Verma, Dy CEE/Maintenance/Blue Line and Shri Uttam Kumar Bar, SSE/Masterda Surya Sen were deputed for inspection of battery pack at Taiwan manufacturing unit with approval of Railway Board. Inspection has been successful and dispatch clearance has been issued. It is expected that Battery pack will reach the installation site in the middle of March 2025. The system is expected to be installed, commissioned and fully operational in May 2025.
Adhering to the norms of Make in India Policy of Govt. of India, this company, which is an Indian subsidiary of Delta Inc. Taiwan, will manufacture the power converter system of the battery in India and LFP battery in Taiwan, holding company of M/s Delta. Shri Abhishek Verma, Dy CEE, Maintenance and Blue Line has been instrumental and also the nodal officer for the detailed specification as well as installation of this project.
This new system has been designed in such a way that the electricity generated by it can be used to haul passenger packed stranded rakes at 30 km per hour speed from the mid-tunnel to the next station in case of any power failure or even National Grid Failure. This is indeed a huge advancement as passenger packed trains won’t have to wait in underground tunnels or on viaduct for restoration of power supply in case of a disruption of power. Thousands of passengers can be brought to safety with the help of this system. Railway Board has also provided funds for smooth execution of this eco-friendly project.This new system, equipped with green batteries and having lifespan of around 14 years, will require around 106 sq. metre space only to install. It is going to reduce carbon footprint with better energy efficiency, long life and occupy lesser space sans health hazards, fire hazards which are associated much more with acidic alkaline batteries.
Metro Railway engineers have prepared the specification and innovative blue-print to supply 4 MW power generated by this battery pack from a particular location to any station between Dumdum to Tollygunge of North-South Corridor using 33 kV ring main system. It has a potential to save the peak hour demand which may help Metro Railway to save Rs.7 crore in its lifetime. Apart from that, it will also ensure power factor improvement which in turn save another Rs. 6 crore. This battery may also be used as a storage system at night and then the stored energy can be used in the day time during peak hours. This proposed system will also not allow power factor to drop below 0.9 at any time leading to further savings. In case of any fire, this new system will be instrumental to play the role of emergency power source for tunnel ventilation, Over the Track Exhaust OTE and platform ventilation as well as be an emergency power source for anything at any place.
Metro Railway authorities are planning to install 7 such BESS of 1 MW each capacity with additional feature of Traction Energy Storage System, TESS in new sub-stations which will be added very soon in Blue Line for betterment of Metro services. It will also facilitate storing of all energy generated during re-generative breaking of all the 3-phase rakes.
If everything goes as par plan, Metro Railway, Kolkata is going to be the first Metro in India which will be in possession of fully functional BESS by May 2025.