Romania receives an offer for H2-powered trains from Siemens

A consortium of firms within Siemens group has submitted an offer regarding 12 H2-powered trains that Romania seeks to contract, the Railway Reform Authority (ARF) announced on April 28 at a meeting of the committee supervising the procurement process, according to Economica.net.

ARF has tried to buy hydrogen trains in previous years, but the previous procedures were canceled due to a lack of bids in two procedures and the submission of an unqualified bid in the third.

Now, the company that submitted the documentation is the Siemens Mobility Association, consisting of Siemens Mobility SRL, Siemens Mobility GmbH, and Siemens Mobility Austria GmbH.

The value of the acquisition is between RON 1.59 billion (EUR 320 million) and RON 2.47 billion (EUR 500 million), excluding VAT, depending on the duration of the services related to the contract - 15 or 30 years, respectively.

The 12 trains will be used for routes under public service contracts, on the non-electrified lines Bucharest - Pitești, with extension to Piatra Olt - Craiova, Bucharest - Henri Coandă Airport, Bucharest - Târgoviște, Bucharest - Pitești - Curtea de Argeș, contracts awarded to railway transport operators.

The project is financed through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), "Component 4 - Sustainable Transport" and from the state budget, through the budget of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, within the limits of the amounts approved annually for this purpose, according to the public investment programs approved according to the law.

Following the opening of the bid, the committee will begin its evaluation under the legal provisions in force and the requirements of the Terms of Reference.

(Photo source: Scharfsinn86/Dreamstime.com)