NEW HIGH SPEED LINE FOR RAIL BALTICA

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania

Italferr, in partnership with Germany's DB Engineering & Consulting and Spain's Idom Consulting, Engineering, Architecture, was awarded the PMC contract for the energy subsystem of the new Rail Baltica HS line. The 7-year contract is divided among the partners in shares of 33 percent each.

The Program aims to connect the three Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania with each other and with the European continent. Managed by the intergovernmental agency RB Rail AS, with a total investment of €5.8 billion and 85 percent funded by the European Community, it is the largest project in the region. It envisages 870 km of new interoperable double-track passenger and freight HS line, 7 passenger stations and 3 new multimodal freight terminals, and additional connections to airports and ports. The line, with a maximum speed of 249 km/h for passenger trains and 120 km/h for freight trains, will be 2x25 kV electrified, equipped with ERTMS, and fitted with 15 electrical substations and 64 parallel operation posts, including related buildings.

The contract includes Project Management, Design, Procurement, FIDIC Works Supervision, Design Review, T&C, and Commissioning Assistance. Italferr will be responsible for System Integration and Power Supply design as early as design and procurement, extending during construction phase its activities to Design Review and Supervision of Works in Estonia and Latvia for all activities of the Energy subsystem. It will also contribute, together with the Partners, to the cross-management of the entire Project. Italferr will conduct activities through an optimized and smart mix of back-office/remote and new on-site offices.

With this important milestone, Italferr enters the Baltic market full force, thereby strengthening its presence in Northern Europe and increasing its overall portfolio in Europe. In addition, the assignment is the first of such size and type that Italferr has been awarded in the foreign market, consolidating itself as a leader in the international High-Speed panorama and strengthening its pre-eminence in the field of Systems, Technologies and System Engineering.

TECHNICAL FOCUS OF ACTIVITIES

Design (to be developed in 11 months)

Comparative study of different electrification systems (1x25kVac - 2x25kVac) with and without using SFC (Static Frequency Converter) and SVC (Static Var Compensator) aimed at choosing the most suitable electrification system
Electric traction simulations aimed at sizing and placement of electrical substations and parallel operation posts along the entire line
Design of electrical substations (about 15) and parallel operation posts (about 64) including related buildings
Interface with the operators of the Transmission Grids of the 3 countries and the design of the connection between substations and existing high voltage lines (at 110kV and 330kV)
Electromagnetic compatibility study
Interface with the existing 1,520 mm gauge line and 3kVd
Interface with the designer of the Central Post (CCS-Command Control System) for DOTE (ECCS-Energy Command Control System)
Interface with the designers of the Civil Engineering Works divided into 11 Lots