ABB to Power Expansion of Urban Rail Network in Brazil

Image Courtesy of ABB

ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has won a substations order from CCR (Companhia de Concesses Rodovirias) Group, one of the largest private infrastructure conglomerates in Latin America to provide power for expanded metro lines in the Greater Salvador area of Brazil. The order was booked in the fourth quarter of 2013.

The project will improve the urban transportation infrastructure by connecting the city center of Salvador de Bahia with the Aguas Claras neighborhood (Line 1 extension, 17.6 km) and onward to the coastal town of Lauro de Freitas, passing through Salvador International Airport (Line 2, 24.2 km). The new lines with a total of 22 stations will also provide fast transport to the Fonte Nova Stadium, one of the official venues of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

As part of the project, ABB will construct two primary substations, 17 distribution substations, seven traction substations and a 32-kilometer long medium-voltage ring for the line extension. ABBs compact Plug and Switch System (PASS) hybrid switchgear will be deployed to reduce the projects footprint and enable the substations to be positioned close to the rail stations.

Other key product supplies include medium- and low-voltage alternating current switchgear, power transformers, AC generators, rectifiers, rectifier transformers, protection equipment and supervisory control systems. ABB is responsible for the design, engineering, supply, installation and commissioning of the project, which is scheduled for completion by 2016.

ABB’s Reliable and Efficient Power Supllies

These substations will help provide reliable and efficient power supplies to support the operation of the expanded rail network, said Claudio Facchin, head of ABB’s Power Systems division. ABB has leading technologies and a strong track record of providing innovative solutions for the rail sector, serving communities all over the world.

Increased focus on the environment, urbanization and the need to move more people and freight faster is driving the development of rail networks around the world, especially in emerging markets. ABB is a leading supplier of power and automation products, systems and services that provide reliable power for rail infrastructure and rolling stock. This includes alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) traction substations and railway electrification solutions for mainline trains, metros and mass-transit networks.

Substations are key installations in the power grid that transform voltage levels and facilitate the reliable and efficient transmission and distribution of electricity. They include equipment that protects and controls the flow of electrical power. ABB is the worlds leading supplier of air- and gas-insulated substations, with more than 10,000 installations worldwide covering a range of voltage levels up to 1,100 kV and serving utility, industry and commercial customers as well as sectors like railways, urban transportation and renewables.

ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 150,000 people.