Recently, RB Rail, the delivery company for the RAIL Baltica project, announced that the largest railway electrification project in Europe has officially begun. The project aims to provide electrification services for a new 1435mm gauge railway line under construction, which will connect Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia and connect to the EU railway network.

On September 15, 2025, an official signing ceremony was held in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, where an energy subsystem contract worth 1.77 billion euros was awarded to the CobelecRailBaltica consortium composed of Spanish companies Cobra and Elecnor. This contract is of great significance, covering the electrification work of the 870 kilometer RailBaltica network, which includes 2403 kilometers of single track, making it one of the largest railway electrification projects in the world. The project budget is 949 million euros, and the first phase is expected to be completed by 2030.

In terms of technical application, this project will take the lead in the large-scale application of Static Frequency Converter (SFC) technology in a 2x25kV 50Hz AC overhead electrification system, which will be equipped with 10 traction substations. RB Railway Company stated that this innovative approach will ensure long-term reliability, efficient operation, and excellent environmental performance of the project, setting a new benchmark for railway electrification.

Looking back at the bidding process of the project, the bidding work for the electrification contract was launched in May 2022, attracting four joint ventures to express interest in participation, three of which became shortlisted candidates in 2023. In the end, the CobelecRailBaltica consortium stood out as the preferred bidder with its strong technical solutions, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability qualifications, and signed the contract electronically on July 31st.

Edgar Benfeld, Senior Contract Manager and Chairman of the Procurement Committee at RB Railway Company, stated that entrusting design and construction tasks to the same contractor can ensure consistency in project efficiency and cost control. The launch of the Rail Baltica railway electrification project is not only an important milestone in the field of European railway construction, but also injects strong impetus into regional transportation integration and sustainable development.Editor/Cheng Liting