SEPTA turns to sustainable traction power

Constellation, a subsidiary of Exelon Corp., has awarded ABB Canada’s power and automation technology division a contract to engineer, manufacture and commission seven ENVILINE^TM Energy Storage Systems (ESS) wayside energy management systems with lithium-ion battery storage technology from Saft America, for SEPTA’s (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority) rail transit network.

The project is among the first commercially deployed battery storage systems in a rail transit operation. Requiring no upfront capital investment from SEPTA, it will be financed through a 20-year battery services agreement with Constellation.

The ESS will provide 8.75 megawatts of frequency regulation support on the PJM electrical grid and recover energy produced by regenerative dynamic braking on the SEPTA network. PJM is a regional transmission organization (RTO) that coordinates the movement of wholesale electricity in all or parts of 13 states and the District of Columbia.This contract brings ABB’s installed base of commercially operating ENVILINE^TM ESS train braking energy recovery systems to 15 Mw, the most of any supplier. ABB installed SEPTA’s first such system at the Letterly Substation along the Market-Frankford Line, in 2012. A second system went into service in 2014 at the Griscom Substation, also on the Market-Frankford Line

Whenever a train uses regenerative dynamic braking, electrical energy is returned to the traction power grid. The ENVILINE^TM ESS enables this energy to be stored and re-used for acceleration when needed. ESS “lowers energy costs, reduces peak power demand and penalties, stabilizes the voltage for better acceleration, and provides emergency traction power,” said ABB.

“Transit authorities across North America are faced with increased energy costs and pressure to achieve sustainability objectives,” said ABB Canada General Manager, DMPC Derek Monk. “ABB’s ENVILINE^TM ESS for DC traction is an effective and economical solution that addresses these issues. ABB has a long and successful presence in DC traction power and is proud to be a leader in the transformation and modernization of train networks such as that of SEPTA.”

“Constellation is pleased to work with ABB to bring this innovative battery storage network online for our customer,” said Constellation Senior Vice President of Distributed Energy Gary Fromer. “As a competitive energy supplier, we aim to provide our customers with the best long-term economic and business solutions for how their energy is produced and supplied.”

ESS design and manufacturing will take place in North America. The units are scheduled for delivery by year-end 2016.