Tauron Dystrybucja has completed a PLN 93 million investment to modernize the Herby and Mijaczów substations and nearly 50 km of high-voltage lines. The project delivers 7 MW of new capacity to the railway infrastructure and improves power supply stability for residents, local governments and businesses in northern Silesia.
The work involved rebuilding all 110 kV switchgear fields at both stations, installing new transformer stations, and creating two new fields dedicated to railway power supply. Three sections of 110 kV lines – Wrzosowa–Herby, Zawadzkie–Lubliniec, and Mijaczów–Pohulanka – were also reinforced with higher-capacity conductors and OPGW (optical ground wire) that protects against lightning and enables ultra-fast data transmission.
– This investment connects the needs of residents, the local economy and the railway. We have improved the power supply conditions for customers in the region. The new infrastructure increases network capacity, raises its resistance to failures, and allows more energy to be transmitted, creating conditions for further development of the area – said Roman Guła, director of Tauron Dystrybucja’s Częstochowa and Opole branch.
Modernisation strengthens railway infrastructure
The modernisation enabled the connection of PKP traction substations at Borowe and Boronów, which supply one of the most important freight routes in Poland and the Baltic–Adriatic European corridor. A key element is the 5 km section of the Wrzosowa–Herby line built as an over-forest variant. Using high-voltage pole structures above the tree line significantly reduces the risk of failures caused by falling trees – one of the most common causes of power outages in forested areas.
Tauron emphasises that the railway received 7 MW of new capacity from the upgraded network. This extra power will help accommodate increasing traffic on the line, which carries heavy freight and intermodal trains between the Baltic Sea and the Adriatic.
Innovative solutions for grid reliability
The project was co-financed by the European Union under the European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate and Environment programme. The use of OPGW technology not only protects against lightning strikes but also allows for real-time monitoring of the network’s condition, enabling faster response to any disturbances. The new conductors have a higher current-carrying capacity, preparing the grid for future demand growth.
Residents and businesses in the municipalities of Herby, Mijaczów and surrounding areas will benefit from fewer and shorter power interruptions. The investment also supports local renewable energy sources by providing a more robust connection point for new generation units.
Źródło: wnp.pl, Fot. Czajnikolandia / Shutterstock
