CERB is implementing a strategic infrastructure project in the northern part of the country by constructing a new traction substation along a key section of the railway network connecting the Danube region with the Black Sea. The facility aims to increase the capacity and reliability of the Ruse–Varna railway line in accordance with the current European requirements.

The new substation operates at 110/25 kV and is entirely dedicated to serving the needs of railway transport. It supplies power to the overhead contact line and is equipped with two power transformers rated at 10.5 MVA each, whose major overhaul and modernization are being carried out by the specialists of CERB Trafo.

According to Eng. Simeon Krainev, the site manager, the implementation of the substation is of significant importance for the development of the railway infrastructure in the region. The facility will provide a more reliable power supply to nearby railway nodes and will help optimize operating costs.

“This will be one of the most modern traction substations in Europe, and it will be the first newly built substation in Bulgaria that will not use any equipment containing SF₆ gas,” said Eng. Simeon Krainev, Project Manager.

As part of the implementation, a modern control system will be introduced and integrated with the existing SCADA telecontrol and telesignalling system. This will enable remote monitoring and control, eliminating the need for permanent operational staff on site.

The substation will be the most modern facility of its kind in the region and will include indoor switchgear located in a newly constructed energy-efficient building.

The facility has been designed with future development of the railway network in mind. In the event of electrification of the Danube Bridge, it will be possible to supply power to the contact network of the structure, creating conditions for an electric railway connection between Bulgaria and Romania.

With the implementation of this project, CERB is setting a new standard for sustainable development in railway infrastructure and the energy sector as a whole. The substation is the first in Bulgaria to be equipped entirely with SF₆-free technology and includes the country’s first 110 kV circuit breaker without SF₆, fully compliant with future European requirements and environmentally friendly.

The solution is not only innovative but also economically efficient, reducing future costs and environmental fees associated with the use of technical gases.