Aimed at increasing its reliance on solar power to 40% of its energy requirements, Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) commissioned a 2,719-kW solar plant at the metro’s coach maintenance depot at Muttom on Monday.

The ground-mounted solar panels are spread across four hectares. With the commissioning of the plant, the metro agency’s total solar power capacity has gone up to 5,390 kW.

Speaking after inaugurating the plant, KMRL managing director A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish said the solar-power project was economically beneficial and served a powerful message to society at large. “With the advent of government policies in this regard, we hope that every household in the State will adopt solar power,” he added.

KMRL entered into a 25-year contract with AMP Solar Ventures Private Limited for the plant. It has a capacity of 10,332 units per day at ₹3.66 per kWh or unit. The savings on metro’s power bill will be to the tune of over ₹1.07 crore every year. Solar panels had earlier been set up at 13 stations and at the depot’s office building at Muttom.

KMRL plans to enhance its solar capacity by another 5,445 kW. The idea is to utilise the depot tracks to instal solar panels. The project will be completed in 2020. Once completed, KMRL’s reliance on solar power will increase to 60%.