“Railway traction energy metering and settlement has been subject of long lasting discussions. In response to these discussions and in the light of the ongoing work on interoperability at European level (incl. the upcoming NRB meeting and ERA TSI Rev WP), ALLRAIL, CER, EIM, EPTTOLA, ERFA, FEDECRAIL, NB-Rail and UIC agreed on the an “EU railway sector declaration on traction energy metering and settlement“.

This sector declaration expresses how the rail sector wants to be compliant with European Regulation. It includes timings on fulfilling requirements from Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/868. It also includes timings on installation of EMS. It defines the minimal requirements to make energy metering and energy settlement operational and compliant with Railway Market Directive and Energy Market Directive. Aim of the Sector Declaration is to enable correct traction energy metering and settlement with less obstacles, especially for cross border traffic.

From the organisations point of view, some open points remain and for the sake of achieving a sound approach to interoperability, the sector seek for clarification from the European institutions regarding:

• Guidance on facilitating the reuse of existing components that could be reused in the case where it is not possible to prove compliance to EN 50463 or where full compliance cannot be achieved on e.g. lower currents or deviating temperatures.
• Permission to install EMS compliant to LOC&PAS TSI:2014 in projects at an advanced stage of development before June 2020 until January 2026.

The sector is looking forward to bringing energy metering systems to the next level with the European Commission and the European Union Agency for Railways. Furthermore, one believe that a discussion on broad retrofitting without administrative burden is essential – an approach that should be fully beneficial for the sector”, Enno Wiebe, Technical Director, CER.