Network Rail, a company that operates the railway network in the UK, has recently awarded a ten-year contract for the supply of low carbon electricity for the UK’s electrified rail network.
The contract has been awarded to UK based EDF Energy, who will be providing around 3.2TWh of electricity a year to power the rail network as it carries three million passengers and thousands of tons of freight per day.
David Higgins, the chief executive officer for Network Rail, said, ‘Rail is already the greenest form of public transport and this partnership with EDF Energy will help us make it greener still. Our work to electrify hundreds of miles of railway represents the biggest programme of rail electrification in a generation and will provide faster, quieter and more reliable journeys for millions of passengers every week while cutting the cost of the railway.
Thanks to a firm commitment from government to invest in electrification schemes across the country, we are transforming the railway and providing Britain with a sustainable, world-class transport system that is fit for the future.
This innovative contract for low-carbon energy will provide excellent value to the rail industry and means we are not only providing a greener railway, but also a better value railway for Britain.’
Vincent de Rivaz, the chief financial officer at EDF Energy, said, ‘Network Rail is the biggest single electricity customer in the UK so this long term deal is a massive vote of confidence in our nuclear-backed energy. Rail is already one of the least carbon intensive ways to travel and the huge investment in electrification will be backed by a stable and affordable supply of low carbon energy.
The deal places nuclear energy at the heart of the UK’s infrastructure for the next 10 years and serves to underline that nuclear power is part of everyday life in Britain. It’s a big boost for EDF Energy following our success in winning the supply contract for the UK Government – which includes the NHS, Highways Agency and the Metropolitan Police – along with a deal agreed last year to supply the majority of Scotland’s public bodies.’
EDF Energy will ensure that 100 percent of the electricity it supplies to Network Rail will be matched by low carbon energy generated from its eight nuclear power stations.
