De Lijn entrusted the renewal of 160 kilometres of overhead lines, the renovation of 16 traction substations, and the construction of 11 new traction substations and 2 drivers’ rooms to two consortia, each with Equans as its main partner. Work has already begun, and the tram between Antwerp Central and Schijnpoort is now running under 5 kilometres of new overhead lines and 5 traction substations have already been renewed or added.
“By upgrading the traction substations and overhead lines, we are ensuring that De Lijn can guarantee sustainable and future-proof public transport in Antwerp.” Tell Joris Briké and Koen De Meyer, the project managers in charge of both projects.
“The Antwerp tram network’s electrical facilities were in need of renewal,” says Briké. As project manager for Equans, he is responsible for upgrading the overhead lines. “Some of the catenary system components were quite old, which meant a greater risk of faults and service disruptions. The city also needs a more sustainable and robust network for more and heavier trams to run on.”
The renewal of traction substations and overhead lines is a major undertaking. Equans started work in 2020 and expects to continue until 2030. “We spent the first year doing the necessary studies and ordering materials. The plan is to renovate 80% of Antwerp’s entire aboveground network.” The remainder was previously largely renewed by Equans. “We’re also updating the equipment in 16 traction substations, which are high-voltage installations where transformers and rectifiers convert the voltage to direct voltage and connect to the overhead lines to power the trams. The renovations we’re doing are both electromechanical and structural.”
Traction substations in row houses
The trams will continue to operate while the works take place. “We’re using a mobile traction substation, in the form of a shipping container, while we renovate the existing substations. This then temporarily takes over the old power cables to keep the service running,” explains De Meyer, who is the Equans project manager responsible for renovating and building the traction substations, which are installed in row houses across the city. “We’re demolishing these old, row houses and building new, fully equipped traction substations. The new buildings will look like normal houses when the work is complete, but one major challenge we have to overcome is that the city’s row houses are often high and deep, whereas a standard traction substation is usually installed all on the same storey. Installing all the large and heavy equipment such as transformers on different floors is difficult.”
Two partners in the consortium are delivering the custom materials, Siemens Mobility providing the high-voltage installations and rectifiers, and Tranzcom delivering the 600-volt and low-voltage traction installations. “Good communication and planning are essential when working with long delivery times for transformers and safety equipment, and making sure we avoid any delays,” says De Meyer. “Our subcontractor Cosimco is responsible for the civil engineering works while our department is mainly taking care of the assembly, installation, testing and safety checks. We currently have four different construction sites, with four traction substations already completed and one more still in its test phase.” In total, Equans is renovating 16 traction substations and building 11 new ones along with 2 drivers’ rooms.
“We’re being innovative by re-using the heat generated in the traction substation to heat the drivers’ rooms.”
Future-proof overhead lines
At the same time, Equans is busy upgrading 160 kilometres of catenary systems. The tram between Antwerp Central and Schijnpoort is already running under five kilometres of new overhead lines. “We’re using the latest overhead line equipment to strengthen the electrical power supply for the tram network,” explains Briké. “For example, we’re suspending new, tensioned catenaries to replace the previous versions, which were as much as 15-40 years old and non-tensioned, as well as updating the anchor plates, masts, foundations and cross cables. Our partner in the consortium, Besix Unitec, is providing the necessary power cables to connect the traction substation transformers with the overhead lines. Upgrading the substations and overhead lines means we’re guaranteeing sustainable and future-proof public transport in Antwerp.”
Equans: experienced partner in a very specialised market
Equans has previously upgraded the underground traction network in Antwerp, and the traction networks in Ghent and also the coastal tram. So they’re the right partner for this project in Antwerp, not just with the necessary expertise in electricity, HVAC, safety and fire protection installations, but also with the right experience. “De Lijn opted to split the project into two parts and take care of some of the coordination itself. So they’re in charge and we agree all the details together for the two undertakings,” says Briké. “It’s important for De Lijn that the teams in these two projects communicate and align with each other to stay on track with the strict planning and tight deadlines.”
Equans is guaranteeing excellent value for De Lijn in Antwerp and can adapt quickly to meet requirements. “We have three train crews that can join in with helping on the tram tracks when necessary to provide the scalability and flexibility needed,” says Briké. Another benefit of having Equans as a partner is all the in-house expertise. “Everything runs in a very organised and controlled way, and we communicate very efficiently and effectively together. We outsource part of the catenary works to the Powerlines Group, which is part of the Equans Group, and is also a regular supplier of catenary components.”
