On 30 June 2023 Rail Baltica informed that the second stage of the Rail Baltica high-speed railway electrification procurement has been launched and the invitation to submit initial bid have been sent to three prequalified candidates - “COBELEC Rail Baltica” (Cobra Instalaciones y Servicios S.A. and Elecnor Servicios y Proyectos S.A.U.) from Spain, association of legal entities “ALSTOM-BMGS-GE-Torpol” (“BMGS” AS, “Bombardier Transportation Baltics” SIA, ALSTOM Transport SA, GE Energy Power Conversion France SAS, TORPOL S.A.) from Latvia, France and Poland and association of legal entities “STC Baltic Electrification” (COLAS RAIL AS, Siemens Mobility GmbH, Siemens Mobility Oy Latvijas filiāle, TSO SAS) from France, Germany and Latvia.
“The Rail Baltica high-speed railway electrification procurement was launched in the middle of 2022 and is considered as the largest railway cross-border electrification project in Europe implemented as a single project. This initiative aims to ensure full compliance with safety and interoperability requirements, benefit from economies of scale, and maximize environmental benefits,” said Aiga Benfelde, Procurement manager at RB Rail AS and Chairperson of the Procurement Commission.
In September 2022, Rail Baltica joint venture RB Rail AS received four applications submitted by international associations of companies. The contract is planned to be signed in mid of 2024.
Rail Baltica aims for using 100% renewable energy, and efficient use of renewable energy to power the new high-speed line is the key element which will make rail transport environmentally friendly and will provide an alternative to the road and air transport in the Baltic States. Additionally, strong emphasize is put on the environmentally friendly design and construction methods, as well as extended lifetime of the electrification subsystem. “While future socio-economic benefits of the Rail Baltica line are immense, implementation of the railway infrastructure with an environmentally ambitious way is equally important,” said Jean-Marc Bedmar, Head of Systems & Operation department at RB Rail AS and Vice-Chairperson of the Procurement Commission.
In the beginning of 2021, RB Rail AS selected an engineering service provider for the global project's energy subsystem deployment. The association of DB Engineering & Consulting GmbH, IDOM Consulting, Engineering, Architecture, S.A.U., and Italferr S.p.A. was announced as the winner in an international tender conducted by RB Rail AS.
The energy subsystem design and construction procurement include various components essential for the full functionality of the electrification subsystem, including traction power substations, overhead contact systems, and the energy control and command system. The project's scope is impressive, with an overall length of 894 km for the double-track, requiring over 2,400 km of catenary systems, approximately 4,350 tonnes of copper materials, 50,000 masts, and the installation of 10 traction substations.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Signe Nīgale
Head of Communication and International Relations Department
RB Rail AS
E-mail: signe.nigale@railbaltica.org
Phone number: +371 29116146
www.railbaltica.org