SINGAPORE — Enhancement works for the power supply system along the North-South and East-West Lines (NSEWL) have started and are expected to be completed by the early 2020s, the authorities said on Friday (Oct 5). This is part of an ongoing asset renewal programme for the MRT rail network.

In a joint statement, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and SMRT described the renewal and enhancement works as "complex but essential".

"More early closures and late openings of MRT stations along the NSEWL will give the project teams additional time to carry out the upgrading works," the statement said, adding that commuters will be kept informed of the works regularly.

The power supply renewal works will start this month and will make use of more "engineering hours" from the scheduled early closures and late openings over the coming months, the authorities said. The earlier closure and late opening hours give the engineers and maintenance crew more time to do their job properly. 

This month, seven MRT train stations along the East-West Line from Tiong Bahru to Clementi will close earlier than usual on Fridays and Saturdays. 

"Enhancement works will also be carried out concurrently to improve the system's resilience to enable better prediction of faults, thereby shortening recovery time-frames during a disruption," LTA and SMRT said.

About 1,300km of power cables, 250km of fibre optic cables located along the NSEWL's tracks, 206 power transformers, 172 switchboards and equipment in 171 sub-stations will be replaced.

Among the enhancements is a new voltage limiting device, which will minimise power faults that affect rail operations. The high voltage network will also be reconfigured to prevent disruption to the entire rail network in the event of a single point of failure.

Other enhancement works include disconnector switches, which will localise power substation failures and minimise disruption to other stretches of the same train line by compartmentalising the rail network power supply.

To minimise disruption on commuter service, back-up standby generators and mobile substations will be deployed during the power supply enhancement works. Critical migration works will be scheduled to take place on weekends.

The new power supply system will kick in only after extensive testing by LTA and SMRT.

The power supply works are the fourth of six renewal projects undertaken by LTA and SMRT to revamp the NSEWL comprehensively.

In November last year, Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan spoke of urgent plans to renew six core components by 2024.

So far, two of the six projects — the sleepers and third rails which supply electrical power to the train — have been completed, while works to replace the signalling system are "progressing well".

Another core component — to replace the inaugural batch of 66 trains — was announced in June in a deal worth S$827 million, while the remaining project is the replacement of track circuits, which is expected to happen later this year.

PROGRESS OF THE SIX RENEWAL INITIATIVES AT A GLANCE

• Replace sleepers: Completed

• Replace third rail: Completed

• Replace signalling system: Transition phase

• Upgrade and renew power supply: To be completed by early 2020s

• Replace first-generation trains: Announced on July 25, 2018

• Replace track circuits: Ongoing, awarded to Siemens and Engie Services Singapore in February 2018