Poland’s High-Speed Rail programme has reached a new procurement milestone, with 18 companies — across eight applications, seven of them consortia — bidding to build traction substations for the Warsaw–Łódź and Łódź–Wrocław sections. The tender is being run by Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) under its Port Polska rail investment programme, using a competitive dialogue procedure.
Following analysis of the applications, CPK will invite up to seven contractors to negotiations. The selected contractor will prepare detailed and construction designs and build two traction substations near the airport and the town of Dmosin — supplying the Warsaw–airport–Łódź section of railway line 85 — as well as the Kuźnica–Czajków substation supplying the Sieradz–Wrocław section of line 86. The contract includes an option for additional substations on both lines.
A new 2×25 kV standard for Polish railways
Under the contract, the contractor will build a total of five traction substations supplying the network using the 2×25 kV standard — a system not previously used on Polish railways. It is the most efficient solution of its kind and is intended to allow High-Speed Rail trains to reach speeds of up to 350 km/h.
“Supplying the network with 2×25 kV alternating current is essential for passenger trains to reach speeds of up to 350 km/h, and is therefore necessary for the development of High-Speed Rail connections in Poland,” said Piotr Rachwalski, Member of the Management Board for rail at Centralny Port Komunikacyjny. “Our aim is to create a service offering journey times that can compete with road and air transport on short- and medium-distance routes.”
Turnkey delivery from design to commissioning
The competitive dialogue procedure provides for turnkey delivery — covering construction and detailed designs (including securing the necessary permits), execution of the works, and the certification and commissioning of the traction substations.
All facilities will be supplied from the 400 kV and 220 kV transmission network operated by Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne (PSE), with which CPK has concluded connection agreements for the Warsaw–Łódź HSR section.
A key element of the contract is the traction power control and supervision system, which will cover both the substations and the wider traction power supply infrastructure. Two standards will operate across the Port Polska network: 3 kV direct current on conventional lines, from which trains will transition to the 2×25 kV alternating-current mainline being built for the Warsaw–Łódź–Poznań/Wrocław “Y” HSR line.
The optional part of the procurement covers substations at Pabianice and Dziadowa Kłoda, which would complete the power supply system for the Łódź–Wrocław HSR line. For the two sections between Warsaw and Łódź (Kotowice–airport hub and airport hub–Bolimów), CPK is running separate competitive dialogue procedures for their design and construction.
Timeline
According to the schedule, the Warsaw–new airport–Łódź section of the “Y” line will enter service in 2032, with the High-Speed Rail sections to Poznań and Wrocław scheduled to follow in 2035. The traction substation tender is one component of a far broader national effort, with Poland advancing a €140 billion railway revamp plan set to deliver a 10,000 km transformation of its rail network.
Applicants for the traction substation contract
The following entities and consortia submitted applications for the competitive dialogue:
- BUDIMEX S.A. (consortium leader) with Ferrovial Energia S.A. sp.j.
- ELFEKO S.A. (leader) with GRINEA sp. z o.o.
- VICTOR ENERGY sp. z o.o. (leader) with ELEKTROBUDOWA sp. z o.o.
- POMORSKIE PRZEDSIĘBIORSTWO MECHANICZNO-TOROWE sp. z o.o. (leader) with ELBUDBIS Sp. z o.o., Przedsiębiorstwo “AGAT” S.A. and EL-MARK sp. z o.o. sp. k.
- ELEKTROTIM S.A. (leader) with ALTERGA S.A. and Siemens Mobility sp. z o.o.
- ENPROM sp. z o.o. (leader) with SPIE Energy Poland S.A.
- ELEKTROPAKS sp. z o.o.
- Przedsiębiorstwo Budownictwa Elektroenergetycznego ELBUD Warszawa sp. z o.o. (leader) with BD Kasprzak sp. z o.o.
Project Factsheet: HSR Traction Substations (Warsaw–Łódź–Wrocław)
Project: Traction substations for the Warsaw–Łódź and Łódź–Wrocław High-Speed Rail sections
Programme: Port Polska rail investment programme
Client / procuring authority: Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK)
Procurement method: Competitive dialogue (turnkey delivery)
Applicants: 18 companies across eight applications (seven consortia)
Shortlist: Up to seven contractors to be invited to negotiations
Core scope: Two substations near the airport and Dmosin (line 85, Warsaw–airport–Łódź) and the Kuźnica–Czajków substation (line 86, Sieradz–Wrocław); five substations in total under the 2×25 kV standard
Optional scope: Additional substations, including at Pabianice and Dziadowa Kłoda (Łódź–Wrocław line)
Power standard: 2×25 kV AC (new to Polish railways) for HSR; 3 kV DC on conventional lines
Design speed: Up to 350 km/h
Transmission supply: 400 kV and 220 kV network operated by Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne (PSE)
Scope elements: Detailed and construction design, permits, works, certification, commissioning, and a traction power control and supervision system
Service dates: Warsaw–new airport–Łódź in 2032; Poznań and Wrocław HSR sections in 2035
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