Light Rail Manila Corp., the joint venture of Ayala Corp. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp., signed a P650-million contract with First Balfour Inc. and MRail Inc. for the rehabilitation of 11 rectifier substations along the 21-kilometer line of LRT Line 1.
“As they power our trains, the substations are absolutely critical to providing reliable electricity supply and efficient operations of trains,” LRMC president and chief executive Juan Alfonso said.
The rehabilitation of the substations will take two years to complete and involves the replacement of major substation equipment, such as the critical switch gears, rectifiers, transformer, cables, the enhancement of the supervisory control and data acquisition system which allows the real-time monitoring of faults at the substations, and the modernization of fire detection and suppression systems.
“Some of these substations are 30 years old and need to be modernized to ensure reliability and efficiency of electric supply to our trains,” Alfonso added.
The project is part of the ongoing LRT-1 system improvements, which include the rehabilitation of trains, renovation of the 20 stations, as well as the structural enhancements of the parapets.
The upgrade has increased the number of trains from 77 to 112 in its first three years, enabling LRMC to increase trips and accommodate more passengers.
LRMC in February this year signed a P450-million contract with Voith Digital Solutions Australia GmBH and Co KH to rehabilitate and upgrade the trains of Light Rail Transit Line 1.
The monthly ridership on LRT-1 hit a record high of 14 million in August this year.
LRMC won the bidding for the 11.7-kilometer Cavite extension project and took over the operation of LRT Line 1 on Sept. 12, 2015.
The Cavite extension will connect into the existing system immediately south of the Baclaran station and will extend to Niog, Bacoor, Cavite.