Electrén has been actively involved in the development and construction of high-speed rail projects in Spain, from its position of power systems specialist rail.

In the Madrid-Valencia line, Electrén was part of a consortium which has executed the construction and maintenance of 8 traction substations, 46 transformation centres and energy remote control of line sections connecting Madrid, Cuenca, Valencia and Albacete during a 3 years contract.

• ADIF control centre ADIF control centre
• Substation Substation
•  

The experience gained during 20 years of exclusive dedication to rail, a skilled human capital and an extensive fleet of machines are the best introduction Electrén can offer its customers.

From its R&D department, Electrén develops new tools and products that aim to provide breakthroughs in rail energy systemstechnology. Here are two highlights:

• Integrated Distributed Control System (SICD, Sistema Integrado de Control Distribuido), which allows monitoring and activation of different electrical feeding options from any enabled site.
• MAS (Monitorización y Accionamiento de Seccionadores), system for monitoring and catenary sectioning. A robust, easy to maintain system.

Within its growth strategy, Electrén is taking action aimed at introducing its activity into new markets. It is firmly implanted in France, Poland and Morocco, geographical areas where significant rail projects will be implemented in the coming years. There, Electrén will have the opportunity to successfully deploy resources, experience and technology tried and tested in Spain.

Electrén, as part of several joint ventures, has successfully participated in the vast majority of high-speed lines executed in Spain: Madrid-Sevilla, Madrid-Zaragoza-Lerida-Barcelona, Madrid-Segovia, Córdoba-Málaga and Madrid-Cuenca-Valencia-Albacete. This extended experience in the field has prompted ADIF (Spanish state-owned infrastructure manager) to award a new contract for the construction and maintenance of substations and energy remote control for the Alicante-Albacete line section to a joint venture in which Electrén participates.

During the end of 2010 several line sections connection Madrid-Cuenca-Valencia and Albacete will open. In these sections Electrén has executed, as part of a joint venture, 8 traction substations, 46 centers of transformation and the energy remote control system, with an additional three years maintenance contract.

The works, which began in mid-2008, have spanned over 438 kilometers of rail tracks and included all needed land displacement tasks for earthworks and access roads, civil engineering, development, construction and ancillary facilities to deliver, install and commission all equipment for providing energy to the rail line in a safe and reliable way.

The electric power system deployed is a 2x25 KV, 50 Hz catenary, which requires the construction of traction substations separated a maximum distance of 70 km. These substations supply 50 kV power as measured between the contact line and the feeder. High speed rolling stock requires a 25 kV voltage between contact line and rail, so autotransformers with a 50/25 kV relation have to be installed each 10 kilometres. Compared to the traditional 1x25 kV feeding system, a greater distance between substations is achieved, thereby reducing the number of facilities. Electromagnetic interference, voltage drops and power losses are also considerably diminished.

The system divides the track into sections called energizing areas. Each area comprises a substation, several intermediate autotransformers and an ending autotransformer (ATF), which enables electrical isolation between two adjacent areas by means of a neutral zone.

Traction substations take their power directly from REE's (Red Eléctrica de España) high voltage lines through two 400kV connections made through a high voltage installation comprising two high-voltage single-phase power transformers (400/2x27, 5 kV and 30 MVA), which feed electrical power to a half-section between adjacent substations. The system, however, is able to operate at full capacity in degraded situations (i.e. with disconnected substations), since each transformer can fully power the whole section between its two collateral substations.

The power supply is managed through the Integrated Distributed Control System (SICD) installed in buildings constructed at each substation. Communications proceed via optical fiber through each substation and their associated autotransformers. The final autotransformers are linking points for different control areas, forming a so-called substation area network (RASE), which enables monitoring and operation of all energy feeding options, interlock control and overhead line protection from any of the designated REE sites.

The remote control of substations is performed from the regional control centre of Albacete. The power control system includes also equipment and cabling (fiber optic and copper wire) for the management of catenary sectioning devices and all different energy consumers of the line. The system collects information at local operating stations installed throughout the rail track. These stations allow local monitoring and control, but in its normal operating mode relay all operations to the regional control centre.