ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, provided comprehensive and advanced power equipment during the construction of the Wuhan-Guangzhou high-speed passenger line, which was inaugurated today, helping to create the world’s fastest and longest high-speed rail service and supporting the rapid development of China’s railway industry.

ABB supplied a series of leading power products for the Wuhan-Guangzhou high-speed rail project, including 27.5kV ZX1.5-R and 10kV ZX0 GIS switchgears and SAFE-series SF6 insulated switchgears. The ZX1.5-R GIS switchgears were specially designed at the Medium Voltage Technical Center of ABB China to address the demand for traction systems used on China’s electrified high-speed railways. Their deployment in the substations will help secure the power safety and reliability of the entire rail line. The SAFE-series SF6 insulated switchgears are used in the power supply of the railway signal system. All these equipment is key to efficient and safety operation of the line.

ABB is fully committed to China’s railway development. ABB products and solutions cover every aspect of rolling stock manufacturing, power equipment, and auxiliary systems for rail line infrastructure. In addition to the Wuhan-Guangzhou high-speed passenger line project, the company has also participated in a number of key railway construction projects including the Zhengzhou-Xi’an and the Wuhan-Hefei high-speed passenger line projects. ABB’s equipment has been widely installed in locomotives and electric multiple unit (EMU) trains, ensuring efficiency and reliability.

The Wuhan-Guangzhou high-speed rail passenger line is a key project in the state’s “Eleventh Five-Year Plan”. With operating mileage up to 1068 km and a design speed capable of 350 km/h, the line is the world’s fastest as well as the longest high-speed passenger railway. The full trip will now take only 3 hours, much shorter than the previous 10.5, remarkably reducing travel time between Guangdong, Hunan and Hubei provinces. The new railway will also relieve the shortage of cargo capacity while boosting the process of urbanization and industrialization in the region.

China’s rail industry is undergoing rapid development. According to China’s “Middle and Long Term Railway Network Development Plan”, total operation mileage will exceed 120,000 km by 2020 and the percentage of double tracks and electrified railways will surpass 50% and 60% respectively. China will complete construction of four north-south and four east-west passenger lines, as well as intercity passenger rail networks connecting developed and densely populated areas, with the total mileage of passenger lines topping 16,000 km.