A £16 million order for power equipment and services has been awarded to ABB by National Grid Transco (NGT) as part of a programme to upgrade the power supply of Network Rail’s West Coast Main Line (WCML).
The West Coast Main Line is one of Europe’s busiest railways. Its 1,000 kilometres of track link many communities, stretching from the heart of London to Scotland, serving a population of more than 16 million people. Every day it carries more than 2,000 passenger and freight trains.
The new 25-0-25 kilovolt rail supply stations will allow Network Rail to upgrade trackside power supplies to the 50-kilovolt system required for high-speed rail services commonly used on mainland Europe.
ABB will provide two new 400/25kV connection points at each of two locations together with two remotely located 25kV substations. The contracts include two ABB supergrid transformers, switchgear and cabling at each site, together with advanced substation protection and automation systems. There is also an option for the provision of design/engineering and procurement of long lead time equipment for a third, as yet unspecified, site.
ABB has a frame agreement with NGT to help modernise WCML and deliver cost efficiencies and savings to NGT and Network Rail. This contract and the agreement with NGT confirms our position as supplier of choice for rail power systems and as reliable, long-term partner for railway operators, says Peter Smits, head of ABB Power Technologies division.