ABB has entered a frame agreement with Balfour Beatty Rails AB and the Swedish Transport Agency, Trafikverket, to deliver autotransformers between the years of 2013 and 2017.

The agreement is part of Trafikverket’s long-term investment in Sweden’s rail sector, which includes developing and strengthening the rail infrastructure so it can meet the power requirements of growing rail traffic, as well as high-speed trains.

Transformers face demanding conditions in rail networks, and must be able to withstand up to 50 short-circuits in type tests, while faster trains also require more power and efficiency from transformers. ABB transformers for rail provide high power output with minimal losses.

“As rail transport continues to grow throughout Europe, strong technological know-how is in high demand and ABB is a proven partner for railway operators,” said Markus Heimbach, head of ABB’s Transformers business, a part of the company’s Power Products division. “This order affirms the confidence our rail customers have in high-quality ABB specialty transformer products.”

The first ABB autotransformers have been delivered to a railway section between Kiiruna and Luulaja, in northern Sweden. They are made by ABB`s transformer unit in Finland, which has global responsibility for developing and manufacturing specialty transformers. These include furnace and rectifier transformers, marine and offshore transformers, transformers for drives and railway electrification, and reactors up to 63 megavolts ampere (MVA) power, and 170 kilovolt (kV) voltage.

Catenary autotransformers are specialised devices that help AC electric rail systems deliver power to locomotives as efficiently and economically as possible. They help increase power efficiency and reduce costs by lowering the number of installed substations needed on rail lines.

Trafikverket is responsible for the construction, operation, maintenance and development of Sweden`s road, rail, sea and air traffic. It manages most (about 14,700 km) of Sweden`s 16,500-km long rail network. Most Swedish rail traffic (80 percent) is electric. ABB and Trafikverket have had a 15-year cooperation agreement since 2002, which includes an option to extend a further two years to 2019.

Balfour Beatty Rail is an international leader in the design and construction of railways.