Caltrain energizes second substation, transformers are delivered in Texas
Caltrain energizes second power substation; in Texas, transformers are delivered with the help of a heavy haulier company; while in India, a new transformer alleviates increased electricity needs.
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USA and India: Caltrain energizes second power substation; in Texas, transformers are delivered with the help of a heavy haulier company; while in India, a new transformer alleviates increased electricity needs.
Caltrain has energized its second traction power substation, located in South San Francisco, for the electrification of its San Francisco-San Jose main line, with the launch of the electrified service expected in fall of 2024. The substation was built by Balfour Beatty and its partners and energized with power from Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). It is also one of two main traction power substations along the Caltrain corridor, in addition to the San Jose location which was energized last August. Together, with eight other smaller facilities along the corridor, power substations provide, distribute, and regulate electricity to the overhead wires which will power Caltrain’s new high-performance electric trains.
The work to complete the energization was substantial and needed to be safely conducted while maintaining reliable service to more than 20,000 customers also served by the existing infrastructure.
The infrastructure upgrades include the construction of two, double-circuit 115 kV transmission connections from the East Grand Substation in South San Francisco and the FMC Substation in San Jose to Caltrain traction power stations in those communities, a rebuild of the East Grand and FMC substations that enabled PG&E to support Caltrain’s request for redundant transmission feeds and additional upgrades to three PG&E and two third-party remote end substations.
Meanwhile in Texas, heavy haulier Bricker Transport collaborated with Engineered Rigging to install 220-ton (200-tonne) transformers. The haulier owns a wide array of heavy haul and rigging equipment but needed the support of Engineered Rigging’s skidding system to shift the transformers from their trailers to the pedestals.
The Engineered Rigging heavy lifting team prepared the power slide 500, which consists of four 125-ton (114-tonne) capacity load shoes, two push/pull units, a hydraulic power pack and 116 ft (35.4 m) of track.
“When Bricker reached the first installation site in Texas, they realised that the transformer would need to be turned before placement on the pedestal,” said John Kuka, director of business development at Engineered Rigging. He added, “We provided a 440-ton [400-tonne] Enerpac hydraulic turntable, which was ready for pick up the next day.”
The first transformer was delivered and installed in July 2023, followed by four additional transformers across West Texas.
In India, MP Power Transmission Company (MP Transco) installed a new power transformer of 63 MVA capacity at 132 KV Substation Sailana of Ratlam district, in light of the increasing electricity demand of agriculture and domestic consumers in the region.
With the installation of this transformer, the capacity of Sailana substation has increased to 113 MVA and the transformation capacity of Ratlam district has increased to 2075 MVA, which will greatly benefit the consumers.
Sources: Caltrain, Heavy Lift & Project Forwarding International, Daily Pioneer
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