The JV Acciona Infraestructuras SA/Ghella SpA have been nominated by the Norwegian National Rail Administration for the tunnel TBM contract for the Follo Line Project. This is the second, and largest, of four EPC contracts for the Follo Line Project. In accordance with Norwegian and European public procurement legislation, a complaints period is allowed which, to reflect the size of the contract, has been set at 16 days. The contract, valued about EUR1 billion (NOK 8.7 billion) is scheduled to be signed before Easter, and the work will commence immediately thereafter.

The contract covers both conventional drilling and drilling by TBMs and comprises construction work to be performed without proximity to railway operations. The JV will also perform all the railway installations, with the exception of the signal system. All mechanical and electrical equipment in the tunnel will be installed in approximately half of the 44 cross connections to be built between the two tunnels. The cross connections will be used for evacuation between the tunnels.

In addition to the development of a large rig area at Asland, including a transformer station for providing power for the excavation with TBM, this contract includes the blasting of large assembly halls located approximately 1 km inside the mountain. Access tunnels to this area are currently under construction under a separate preparatory contract. In the assembly halls, the four TBMs will be assembled from prefabricated parts prior to operation. Two separate 19 km-long x 8.75 m-diameter tunnels will be excavated by TBM between Oslo and the new Ski station. Two machines will drill north towards Oslo, and two machines will drill southward toward Ski. The northern part of the tunnel will be excavated by conventional methods and by drill & split under another contract. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=144855-2015 and http://www.jernbaneverket.no/en/startpage1/News/Tunnel-TBM-contract-nominated/. 12/15.