Network Rail awards telent four year national SCADA contract

telent has been awarded a contract by Network Rail to design, supply and install a new SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system, which will control traction power and distribution across the national network.

The fully integrated system will include full voice and data communications that will operate over Network Rail’s fixed transmission network system.

The new system will provide the complete control interface for the power network operators, enabling Network Rail to carry out isolations, provide HV phase synchronisation and implement automatic execution and service restoration. The system will also provide maintenance information and training and replay modes to support migration from the existing systems.

In the South East of England telent will also be responsible for the replacement of the existing electromechanical trackside control equipment on the third rail dc system.

The project will run until 2017, during which there will be a phased migration programme to transfer existing controls from the current sixteen separate systems at thirteen control locations, to the new national integrated system to be controlled from Network Rail’s own Rail Operating Centres. The electrification schemes that are due to be completed during this time will also need to be integrated.

The whole system is an essential part of the planned electrification investment being made in the UK Rail network and will deliver flexibility to accommodate future changes to the electrified network.

Steve Pears, Managing Director of telent’s Rail business stated “We are delighted that Network Rail has chosen telent to provide such an important part of their national electrification programme. This contract is a great opportunity for us to demonstrate our extensive technology and telecommunications expertise, in partnership with the Network Rail team. We pride ourselves on delivering safe, reliable and cost-effective solutions. This ethos, coupled with our innovative design and delivery skills will provide the optimum solution to meet Network Rail’s requirements.”

Dr Paul Hodgson added “I joined telent in 2012 anticipating involvement in the Network Rail SCADA tender. The team has developed a ‘total solution’ approach in which I have complete confidence in telent delivering. I can’t wait to be part of it.”

Network Rail’s Saleem Mohammad, who is responsible for the national delivery of the SCADA project said, “This project will deliver a single electrical control system at eight of our Rail Operating Centres replacing the old and inefficient equipment we currently use. By managing our electrical power in a much more flexible and efficient way we will support the future expansion of our electrification network in CP5 and beyond. This will help us to increase capacity and improve journeys, while reducing costs and carbon emissions. I look forward to working closely with telent to deliver this important and challenging national project”