Railway sector calls on action to safeguard energy supply

image: Esther Geerts, promedia Esther Geerts | ProMedia

With the increasing energy bills and insecurity about a steady supply, the European railway sector calls on action. Sector associations Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) and the European Rail Freight Association (ERFA) asked the European Commission on Friday to to ensure that the envisioned modal shift to rail is not derailed by increasing energy costs.

Costs for railway companies have ballooned following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to the associations, traction electricity prices have already doubled on average. Some countries have witnessed a tenfold increase. This puts current ticket prices and shipping rate in jeopardy and, by extension, the modal shift and the EU’s climate ambitions.

“Railways should be identified as a strategic service, which should be prioritised in the supply of affordable energy as a short-term measure. More freight and passengers on rail will improve the EU’s energy balance. This is important in the current energy crisis and to help lower the EU’s energy dependency on imported fossil fuels”, CER Executive Director Alberto Mazzola argues. According to the CER, energy amounts to “approximately 10-20 percent of rail undertakings’ cost base”.

Highest costs in history

Earlier this week, Network Rail in the UK said that combined cost of providing electricity to the network, and all the other fuel costs for infrastructure trains, support vehicles and premises will, in the coming year, run to more than one billion pounds (1.2 billion euros) for the first time ever. The headline figure represents an increase of almost double on any previous year.

In April, Renfe’s energy costs where 260 percent higher compared to the same month last year, the Spanish operator said last June. Belgian operator NMBS expects its costs to almost quadruple in 2023 compared to 2020. It forecasts an energy bill of 432 million euros next year. It announced energy saving measures this week.

Dutch Railways (NS), by contrast, in August said that it had managed to avoid a 1-billion-euro increase in costs thanks to a longer-term energy contract through 2024. NS said that this had enabled it to keep ticket prices affordable.

Effort to stabilise prices

In Switzerland, the Federal Office of Transport (BAV) has recently adjusted its model for the pricing of railway electricity, making it possible to establish a fixed price for at least four years. The initiative was taken with SBB Energy, the rail electricity supplier for Swiss Federal Railways, but the new model only comes into force in 2025, and will therefore do little for the current situation. Currently, SBB Energy can submit a request once a year asking to change the price.

The BAV also notes that Article 8 of the Ordinance on Priority Transport in Exceptional Situations requires all transport companies and infrastructure operators of public transport and rail freight to prepare for a power shortage situation in the sense of their own business continuity management. A working group of the Swiss Association of Public Transport (VöV) is working on industry-wide concepts to support this.

Further reading:

Author: Nick Augusteijn

Former Chief Editor of RailTech.com

1 comment op “Railway sector calls on action to safeguard energy supply”

bönström bönström|09.09.22|10:53

“Shift to rail”…,.mantra, completely disregarding quality of service rendered, sooner the better, should come to an end!
Until proving autonome, railways will remain the risky, the low quality device, stuck at mercy of taxpayers.
Advantage, low energy consuming, by steel wheels running on steel rails, no longer shall be obstructed – by a suboptimal electrification, etc.!
For sake of Industry, for all, a timely New Old Railway, is the urgently needed. (It is 2022 now.)

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Railway sector calls on action to safeguard energy supply | RailTech.com

Railway sector calls on action to safeguard energy supply

image: Esther Geerts, promedia Esther Geerts | ProMedia

With the increasing energy bills and insecurity about a steady supply, the European railway sector calls on action. Sector associations Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) and the European Rail Freight Association (ERFA) asked the European Commission on Friday to to ensure that the envisioned modal shift to rail is not derailed by increasing energy costs.

Costs for railway companies have ballooned following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to the associations, traction electricity prices have already doubled on average. Some countries have witnessed a tenfold increase. This puts current ticket prices and shipping rate in jeopardy and, by extension, the modal shift and the EU’s climate ambitions.

“Railways should be identified as a strategic service, which should be prioritised in the supply of affordable energy as a short-term measure. More freight and passengers on rail will improve the EU’s energy balance. This is important in the current energy crisis and to help lower the EU’s energy dependency on imported fossil fuels”, CER Executive Director Alberto Mazzola argues. According to the CER, energy amounts to “approximately 10-20 percent of rail undertakings’ cost base”.

Highest costs in history

Earlier this week, Network Rail in the UK said that combined cost of providing electricity to the network, and all the other fuel costs for infrastructure trains, support vehicles and premises will, in the coming year, run to more than one billion pounds (1.2 billion euros) for the first time ever. The headline figure represents an increase of almost double on any previous year.

In April, Renfe’s energy costs where 260 percent higher compared to the same month last year, the Spanish operator said last June. Belgian operator NMBS expects its costs to almost quadruple in 2023 compared to 2020. It forecasts an energy bill of 432 million euros next year. It announced energy saving measures this week.

Dutch Railways (NS), by contrast, in August said that it had managed to avoid a 1-billion-euro increase in costs thanks to a longer-term energy contract through 2024. NS said that this had enabled it to keep ticket prices affordable.

Effort to stabilise prices

In Switzerland, the Federal Office of Transport (BAV) has recently adjusted its model for the pricing of railway electricity, making it possible to establish a fixed price for at least four years. The initiative was taken with SBB Energy, the rail electricity supplier for Swiss Federal Railways, but the new model only comes into force in 2025, and will therefore do little for the current situation. Currently, SBB Energy can submit a request once a year asking to change the price.

The BAV also notes that Article 8 of the Ordinance on Priority Transport in Exceptional Situations requires all transport companies and infrastructure operators of public transport and rail freight to prepare for a power shortage situation in the sense of their own business continuity management. A working group of the Swiss Association of Public Transport (VöV) is working on industry-wide concepts to support this.

Further reading:

Author: Nick Augusteijn

Former Chief Editor of RailTech.com

1 comment op “Railway sector calls on action to safeguard energy supply”

bönström bönström|09.09.22|10:53

“Shift to rail”…,.mantra, completely disregarding quality of service rendered, sooner the better, should come to an end!
Until proving autonome, railways will remain the risky, the low quality device, stuck at mercy of taxpayers.
Advantage, low energy consuming, by steel wheels running on steel rails, no longer shall be obstructed – by a suboptimal electrification, etc.!
For sake of Industry, for all, a timely New Old Railway, is the urgently needed. (It is 2022 now.)

Add your comment

characters remaining.

Log in through one of the following social media partners to comment.