Indian Railways uses nearly 3 billion units of electricity every month for smooth train operations
2 min readUpdated: Jul 24, 2026 05:43 PM IST
Indian Railways consumes around 2,957 million units of electricity every month (Image generated using AI)
Indian Railways electrification: Indian Railways uses nearly 3 billion units ( 2,957 million units) of electricity every month across its 17 zones to power train operations and ensure the smooth running of services nationwide. At present, 99.6% of its Broad Gauge (BG) network has been electrified.
In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Friday, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that while many countries focus on electrifying only their busiest passenger and freight routes, India has chosen to electrify its entire Broad Gauge network. He said Indian Railways’ progress in railway electrification is among the most significant achievements globally.
“By network coverage, Indian Railways is now among the most extensively electrified large railway systems in the world. Indian Railways had electrified 99.6% of its broad-gauge network, completing one of the world’s largest infrastructure transformation programs in a decade,” he said.
According to the latest report of International Union of Railways (UIC) of June, 2025, railway electrification in important railway systems is as under:
Railway Electrification: India vs the World
99.6%
India's railway electrification, 2nd highest globally
Railway Electrification by Country
Switzerland100%
India99.6%
China82%
Spain67%
Japan64%
France60%
United Kingdom39%
India trails only Switzerland globally in railway electrification, ahead of China, Spain, Japan, France and the UK.
The Union Minister further said that Indian Railways has taken up electrification in mission mode. Work is underway to electrify the remaining sections of the network, and all new railway lines and multi-tracking projects are being approved and built with electrification, he said.
A look at the zone-wise status of railway electrification
Of the 19 railway zones, 15 have achieved 100 per cent electrification, while work is still underway in the remaining four zones. These are: North Western Railway, Northeast Frontier Railway, Southern Railway and South Western Railway.
Zone-wise Status of Railway Electrification
15 of 19
Railway zones fully (100%) electrified
Electrification Status by Zone
Bar scale starts at 94% to highlight differences among near-fully electrified zones
Central Railway
100%
East Coast Railway
100%
East Central Railway
100%
Eastern Railway
100%
Konkan Railway
100%
Kolkata Metro
100%
North Central Railway
100%
North Eastern Railway
100%
Northern Railway
100%
South Central Railway
100%
South Coast Railway
100%
South East Central Railway
100%
South Eastern Railway
100%
West Central Railway
100%
Western Railway
100%
North Western Railway
99.8%
Northeast Frontier Railway
98.7%
Southern Railway
98.7%
South Western Railway
96.1%
Only 4 of the 19 railway zones are yet to reach 100% electrification, with South Western Railway trailing at 96.1%.
Source: Rajya Sabha
Zone-wise electricity consumption and expenditure of Indian Railways in FY 2025-26
South Central Railway recorded the highest average monthly electricity consumption in FY 2025-26 at 317.49 million units. It was followed by Central Railway (273.93 million units), North Central Railway (261.61 million units), East Coast Railway (218.38 million units) and Western Railway (218.17 million units).
Zone-wise Power Consumption & Expenditure, FY 2025-26
2,957.5 MU
Total avg. monthly electricity consumption, all zones
₹2,102.6 Cr
Total avg. monthly expenditure, all zones
317.49 MU
Highest consumer: South Central Railway
Consumption vs Expenditure, by Zone
Each bar scaled to its own maximum (Consumption max: South Central, 317.49 MU · Expenditure max: South Central, ₹261.08 Cr)
Consumption (Million Units)
Expenditure (₹ Crore)
South Central Railway
317.49 MU
₹261.08 Cr
Central Railway
273.93 MU
₹184.82 Cr
North Central Railway
261.61 MU
₹151.92 Cr
Northern Railway
231.30 MU
₹159.57 Cr
East Coast Railway
218.38 MU
₹162.46 Cr
Western Railway
218.17 MU
₹128.94 Cr
South Eastern Railway
210.34 MU
₹137.53 Cr
East Central Railway
204.90 MU
₹142.23 Cr
South East Central Railway
183.43 MU
₹128.98 Cr
West Central Railway
179.64 MU
₹111.92 Cr
Southern Railway
178.59 MU
₹181.10 Cr
Eastern Railway
163.52 MU
₹121.60 Cr
North Western Railway
82.30 MU
₹60.49 Cr
South Western Railway
79.71 MU
₹53.08 Cr
North Eastern Railway
78.18 MU
₹49.02 Cr
Northeast Frontier Railway
61.64 MU
₹56.99 Cr
Kolkata Metro
14.38 MU
₹10.86 Cr
South Central Railway leads on both consumption and expenditure. Southern Railway and Northeast Frontier Railway show a relatively higher cost per unit of power consumed compared to other zones.
Source: Rajya Sabha
Anish Mondal is a journalist with over nine years of experience covering the railways and roadways. Currently a member of the Indianexpress.com editorial team, Anish specializes in high-impact sectors. Professional Journey Anish began his career at the public broadcaster Rajya Sabha Television (now Sansad TV), where he developed a foundational understanding of legislative processes and national governance. In 2018, he transitioned to digital financial journalism at FinancialExpress.com, spending nearly six years refining his expertise in market trends and corporate reporting. Before joining The Indian Express in 2025, he served as a key contributor at ETNowNews.com. Education & Expertise Anish’s reporting is backed by a rigorous academic background in communication and the humanities: Master of Journalism and Mass Communication (MJMC) – Apeejay Stya University Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Production (PGTVRJP) – Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication Bachelor of Arts (English Honours) – University of Calcutta Areas of Coverage Connectivity: Detailed reporting on the expansion of Indian Railways and National Highway networks. ... Read More
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Source: Indian Express
