High Speed 1 – formerly known as the Channel Tunnel Rail Link - is nearing completion.
On 14 November 2007, Eurostar services will start from their new home at St Pancras International station in London. Paris will be just 2 hours 15mins away, with Brussels at 1 hour 51mins. The UK will be fully connected with the expanding continental high-speed rail network.
ABB is now in the handover stages of a major, four and a half year, turnkey contract for EDF Energy for the design, supply, installation and commissioning of the traction power distribution systems for Section 2 of this project.
The contract has included eight specially adapted trackside substations to supply the continental European style 25-0-25 kV traction power for the catenary system. The main grid connection, at National Grid’s Barking substation, is provided by an ABB 400/25-0-25kV transformer. This has been linked by an 1800m cable connection to Choats Road feeder substation, which also houses two 46MVAr ABB SVCs (Static Var Compensators).
ABB placed a key emphasis on project management and communication throughout the project to ensure a seamless interface between the customer and ABB’s procurement, civil engineering and installation teams. The contract has also achieved a remarkable health and safety record, clocking up well over 250,000 hours without a LTI (lost time incident).