LITHUANIA: The government has approved the Ministry of Transport & Communications’ plans for 25 kV 50 Hz electrification of the 309 km Kaišiadorys – Klaipėda – Draugystės route, which will complete electrification of the 376 km corridor between Vilnius and the port city.
The cost is put at €398m, of which €197m is to come from the European Union Cohesion Fund with further funding from national railway Lietuvos Geležinkeliai.
The ministry said this the project would meet the technical and transport needs of the EU and reduce the impact of transport on the environment.
Electrification of the line to Klaipėda is predicted to decrease emissions by 150 000 tonnes/year, reduce fuel consumption by 30% and cut freight and passenger train operating costs by 40%.
The length of electrified railway in Lithuania will increase to 520 km, up from 8% to 27% of the network. The construction of Rail Baltica will take this to 39% in the medium term.
‘The Vilnius – Kaišiadorys – Šiauliai – Klaipėda line is one of the most intensively used sections of the Lithuanian railway network’, said Deputy Minister of Transport & Communications Loreta Maskaliovienė on February 2. ‘Electrification of this main railway artery of the country will not only facilitate development of sustainable and ecological transport infrastructure, thus contributing to the EU’s green objectives, but will also increase the competitiveness of rail transport.’
