ABB rectifier units to modernize DC traction power supply for the development of efficient Polish railways.
Zurich, Nov. 29, 2012 – ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, won an order worth almost $39 million from PKP Energetyka S.A., the main power supplier to railway operators in Poland, to deliver rectifier units for DC traction substations. This is the biggest contract for such equipment signed by the Polish railway industry.

ABB will deliver more than hundred rectifier units through 2014. Several hundred ABB rectifiers are already in service on the Polish State Railways’ (PKP) power-feed system.

At the heart of Eastern Europe, Poland faces huge challenges to meet demands for the ever growing domestic and international passenger and freight traffic on its network. The country has entered a vast program of extended and revamped railway substations as well as a plan for new electrified lines. Improving the rail power infrastructure will help PKP introduce modern rolling stock with a maximum speed of 160-200 kilometers per hour (km/h). This will notably reduce the transit time and improve travel conditions between the largest cities in the country.

“We will deliver low-maintenance, high overload capacity, yet competitively priced locally manufactured products to our customer,” said Ulrich Spiesshofer, head of ABB’s Discrete Motion and Automation division. “This order shows our proven track record and the PKP’s confidence in our highly reliable equipment over the years.”

Increasing concern for the environment, rapid urbanization, and the need to move more people and freight faster, makes rail infrastructure a key component to a country's economic success. 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 a full suite of alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) traction power equipment and wayside energy management for providing reliable power and saving energy.