Alstom and Transmashholding sign a contract for the design and production of the EP20 electric locomotive for the Russian market
Posted: 29 June 2010 | | No comments yet
Patrick Kron and Andreï Bokarev have signed…
Patrick Kron and Andreï Bokarev have signed...
On 29 June, Patrick Kron, Chairman and CEO of Alstom, and Andreï Bokarev, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Transmashholding (TMH), signed a contract for the design and manufacturing in Russia of key components for the EP20 electric locomotive. This contract defines how Alstom and TMH will cooperate in fulfilling the €1 billion order for 200 passenger locomotives awarded a month ago by Russian Railways (RZD) to Transmashholding. Alstom’s part of this global contract represents €450 million.
Alstom and Transmashholding have teamed up in a global partnership, which includes a 25% stake from Alstom in the holding company of Transmashholding. This global agreement has already resulted in the creation of a 50/50 joint venture (Tekhnologii Relsovogo Transporta -TRT), which will develop EP20 locomotives on the Novotcherkassk site. It is also planned that this joint venture will develop at a further stage metros, regional trains, passenger cars or other rolling stock.
The production of these locomotives will be carried out by TMH with technical support from Alstom on the same site of Novotcherkassk.
Furthermore, a 50/50 joint venture for the manufacture of components will soon be established: this will produce – also at Novotcherkassk – traction drives for the new EP20 locomotive, to be based on the latest technology from Alstom.
The EP20 is a 7,200-kW triple-bogie locomotive boasting speeds of up to 200 km/h and designed to operate in temperatures as low as -50°C. It will be fitted with current collection and catenary voltage transformation systems so that it can run on both the voltage systems in use on the Russian network. The EP20 will be the first in a new range of locomotives intended for use in the 1520-mm track gauge zone.
“We are delighted to be signing this contract, which puts into effect our partnership with TMH”, said Patrick Kron at the close of the ceremony. “The EP20 project will pave the way for a whole new family of modern locomotives for the CIS market.”
In addition, during the recent Saint Petersburg Economic Forum, the two partners have just announced the creation of a joint venture with the Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ) to provide electric locomotives to the Kazakh market.