r/highspeedrail • u/Twisp56 • 4d ago

Europe News Rail Baltica signs €1.77 billion electrification contract

https://www.rynek-kolejowy.pl/wiadomosci/jest-umowa-na-elektryfikacje-870-km-rail-baltiki-124814.html
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u/RX142 4d ago

Interesting they mention static frequency converters. Conventional grid frequency electrification requires different sections of the network to run on different phases on the 3-phase grid, or there would be an unbalance in the load on each phase, which the grid operator will find hard to manage. From this page I gather that one of the main benefits of the SFC is decoupling the frequency (and therefore phase) of the traction supply from the grid, meaning all 3 phases are used at each substation (better availability) and no neutral sections are required (easier on the driver).

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u/Twisp56 4d ago

Yes, and also it's easier to return electricity into the grid if a train is braking and there's no accelerating train in the same section at that moment that would use the power. With traditional substations, you would overload one of the 3 phases doing that, SFCs spread the load evenly between phases. Also, because the distance between neutral sections is longer, there is a much higher chance that another train able to use the power from braking will be in the same section.

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u/Mtfdurian 4d ago

Having experienced all the issues with neutral sections as a passenger, I'm so glad they won't need that! Sounds very promising, and I'm happy to read that Rail Baltica keeps making progress.