Supply system characteristics and harmonic penetration studies of the new high speed FS railway line `Milan-Rome-Naples´

The Milan-Rome-Naples, main railway connection of the Italian State Railways (FS) network, is characterized by very intense traffic, with the existing lines already having reached their saturation limit. New lines are to be constructed to increase the passenger and goods transport on this connection and to improve the quality of the service. The sizing of the fixed electric traction installation has been devised in such a way that high power can be collected from the contact wire; the traction load for the design project has been assumed as trains travelling 15 minutes apart and maximum unit power demand equal to 12 MW. The authors discuss the possibilities of increasing the voltage to 12 kV DC and the problems this would create for the catenary system, power supply and power conversion system. The electric substations, harmonic penetration studies and catenary system are discussed