Lithuanian railway network awards Elecnor one of its strategic projects
• Elecnor, in a 50–50 consortium with Abengoa, has won a contract valued at over EUR 350 million
Elecnor, the Spanish infrastructure, energy and telecommunications group, has been awarded the Vilnius–Klaipeda railway electrification project, which is one of LG's (Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai — Lithuanian Railways) strategic projects for the coming years and is valued in excess of EUR 350 million. Elecnor won this contract as part of a 50–50 consortium, alongside Abengoa. The engineering and construction phase of the project is expected to last four years.
Specifically, the consortium will be responsible for electrifying over 730 km of railway on the orbital line around Vilnius (34 km) and from Kaisiadorys to Klaipeda (320 km), crossing the country from east to west.
The work will also include the construction of eight new traction substations and the modification of two existing ones, the connection of all of these substations to the national electricity grid using 110 kV lines, and the modification and expansion of the signalling, communications and control network for the entire section of the railway being electrified.
The end of this project will mark the completion of the electrification of Corridor IX-B, which will allow electric trains to travel from the Belarusian border to the port of Klaipeda. This is one of the main routes for goods in the Baltic countries and a key strategic objective for the development of Lithuania's railway sector. LG estimates that, upon completion of the project, over three quarters of all cargo and two thirds of railway passengers in the country will travel using this line.
According to the Lithuanian Ministry of Transport, the subsequent reduction in pollution will see socio-economic benefits to the tune of EUR 700 million. Moreover, the lower energy costs compared to those associated with the current diesel locomotives and the lower maintenance costs for the rolling stock will save the transport sector EUR 505 million.
The project is being financed by the European Union's Cohesion Fund, as well as by own funds approved by the Lithuanian Ministry of Transport.