Latest news with #PowerSCADA
CNA
21-07-2025
- Business
- CNA
Bukit Panjang LRT disruptions linked to newly installed power system, says SMRT
SINGAPORE: The recent service disruptions along the Bukit Panjang Light Rail Transit (LRT) network were related to a newly installed system which monitors and controls power distribution, said train operator SMRT on Sunday (Jul 20). This "Power SCADA" (supervisory control and data acquisition) system is part of the Land Transport Authority's (LTA) ongoing power renewal project, said the president of SMRT Trains, Mr Lam Sheau Kai. The system is designed to "improve safety and reliability by remotely monitoring and controlling power distribution" across the Bukit Panjang LRT line, said Mr Lam on Sunday night. In a Facebook post, Mr Lam said that based on initial on-site investigations conducted on Sunday evening, the power fault that caused Saturday's train disruption across all stations on the line shares a "similar failure mode" to the incident that occurred on Jul 3. A fault in the Power SCADA system on Saturday affected the emergency trip system (ETS), "triggering a network-wide traction power trip". The on-site investigation was carried out jointly by SMRT, the LTA power renewal project team, and Schneider Electric - the system's original equipment manufacturer (OEM). The incident occurred at about 2.45pm on Saturday, which led to train services being unavailable across all stations on the Bukit Panjang LRT line. Four trains were stalled between stations due to the power loss. "To facilitate the safe resumption of train services, the ETS was bypassed, allowing traction power to be reinstated across the line," Mr Lam said. "The LTA project team is conducting a thorough investigation, including a full design review by the OEM contractor to strengthen network stability and prevent further recurrence," he added. "A key focus is ensuring that the traction power supply remains stable, especially while the system is still being commissioned." The Bukit Panjang LRT system is an 8km line connecting residential estates within Bukit Panjang and Choa Chu Kang to the North-South and Downtown Lines Mr Lam said that the Bukit Panjang LRT power renewal project is targeted for completion by the end of 2026, and it will continue to monitor the system closely as works progress. "We thank all affected commuters for their patience and understanding during the disruption."
AsiaOne
21-07-2025
- Business
- AsiaOne
Bukit Panjang LRT outage: Fault linked to newly installed power system, says SMRT, Singapore News
The power fault which crippled services across the Bukit Panjang LRT line twice in July have been linked to a newly installed power distribution system, said rail operator SMRT. The first incident on July 3 saw no service at all stations on the LRT line for about three hours. In the second incident on Saturday (July 19), the disruption lasted for about two hours. SMRT said in a statement on Facebook that on-site investigations conducted on Saturday evening, after services were restored, indicated that the latest power fault was similar to the July 3 incident. On Saturday afternoon, a fault in the power distribution system halted train services across the line. Both incidents are linked to the newly installed Power SCADA system, which remotely monitors and controls power distribution across the Bukit Panjang LRT network. The system is part of the ongoing Power Renewal Project by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), and is currently still under the warranty period for any defects, said SMRT. The public transport operator added that LTA is conducting a thorough investigation, including a full design review by the original equipment manufacturer contractor Schneider Electric, to strengthen network stability and prevent further recurrence. "A key focus is ensuring that the traction power supply remains stable, especially while the system is still being commissioned," it elaborated. The Bukit Panjang LRT Power Renewal Project is targeted to be completed by end-2026. "We thank all affected commuters for their patience and understanding during the disruption. SMRT remains fully committed to keeping BPLRT services running safely while renewal works continue," it said. [[nid:720223]]
Online Citizen
04-07-2025
- Business
- Online Citizen
SMRT: Power system fault may have caused three-hour Bukit Panjang LRT disruption on 3 July
SINGAPORE: A nearly three-hour disruption halted services on the Bukit Panjang LRT (BPLRT) line on 3 July 2025, after a fault in the system controlling power distribution triggered a power trip. SMRT Trains' president Lam Sheau Kai stated on 4 July that preliminary investigations indicated the issue may be linked to the Power SCADA (an acronym for supervisory control and data acquisition) system. This system is integral to the BPLRT network's operations, monitoring and controlling power distribution to maintain safety and reliability. According to Lam, the Power SCADA system developed a fault that subsequently affected the Emergency Trip System (ETS), resulting in the traction power being tripped. The SCADA system is part of the BPLRT Power Renewal Project, which is being conducted in collaboration with the Land Transport Authority (LTA), Colas Rail, Schneider Electric, and SMRT. The power disruption began at around 8.50am and affected train services at all BPLRT stations. Train services were progressively restored from 11.30am after the ETS was bypassed to reinstate traction power. Five trains were stalled between stations, while seven others were stationary at platforms during the outage. SMRT staff guided commuters from the stalled trains to the nearest stations safely. In response, regular and bridging bus services were activated to support affected commuters during the disruption. Additional staff were also deployed to man all stations throughout the rest of the day as a precaution. Lam confirmed that LTA and SMRT have launched a full investigation into the incident, which includes a comprehensive design review of the Power SCADA system to enhance network stability. He added that the organisations will continue to monitor the system closely as renewal works progress. On behalf of the BPLRT renewal project team, Lam issued an apology for the inconvenience and thanked commuters for their patience and understanding. This incident marked the second rail disruption in the week. On 1 July, a signalling fault at Orchard station on the Thomson-East Coast Line caused service delays between Napier and Great World stations for two hours. The Bukit Panjang LRT, which spans 8km, has a history of operational issues. The most recent major disruption occurred on 22 October 2024, when service stalled during the evening peak between Bukit Panjang and Choa Chu Kang. Trains did not resume until the next morning. Initial investigations at the time pointed to a fault in one of the train's wheel assemblies. In response, LYA and SMRT announced reduced operating hours from Thursdays to Sundays, starting 14 November 2024 through to 31 October 2025, to accommodate renewal works. These efforts include upgrading the BPLRT's signalling system and testing both new and retrofitted light-rail vehicles. Since 2022, LTA has been progressively implementing a new communications-based train control system to enhance train speed regulation. The full system renewal is now slated for completion by end-2026, delayed by two years due to manpower shortages and supply chain issues stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2024, the LRT network, which includes the Sengkang-Punggol lines, recorded an average daily ridership of 210,000, reflecting a 4 per cent year-on-year increase.
