KOCHI: Learning a lesson from the 2018 flood which had disrupted services, the Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) has constructed a new substation to ensure uninterrupted power supply. The Combined Auxiliary and Traction substation at its Operation Command Centre at Muttom boasts 415 V AC auxiliary and 750 V DC traction power supply systems. The regular maintenance of metro coaches, troubleshooting of faults and operational controls are also handled at the Muttom depot.KMRL MD Alkesh Kumar Sharma inaugurated the substation on Friday.
“On commissioning of the combined substation, KMRL will be equipped with facilities for uninterrupted train operations. The 2018 flood had disrupted regular metro operations and this facility has been set up to obviate any such eventuality. The substation will prevent financial loss to KMRL due to the damage to assets and spares that can be caused because of floods,” Sharma said.
The combined substation, along with a two-storey building, was constructed at a total cost of Rs 20 crore. The auxiliary and traction substation is located on the first floor, which will safeguard the substation from waterlogging. The ground and second floors of the building are dedicated for the storage of spare parts and sensitive equipment.
The substation has a capacity of 3,000 kVA for auxiliary power supply and 2,600 kVA for traction power with 100 per cent redundancy. In the substation, the 33 kV power supply will be converted into 415 V AC for meeting the auxiliary loads such as lifts, lighting, AC and ventilation, and 33 kV will be converted into 750 V DC to feed to the third rail for powering the trains to facilitate movement inside the yard for stabling, regular maintenance and troubleshooting.The substation has been designed and constructed taking into account the future load requirements of the Kochi Metro yard at Muttom depot due to the ongoing extension project to Tripunithura and the proposed Phase II project to Kakkanad.