Electrification of Madrid'snew metro line

40 cores installed at 2.5MVA, 120 tons total

• During the initial phase of works carried out on the western section between June and September, the catenary voltage was increased from 600 to 1,500 volts.
• This upgrade will also allow for greater energy efficiency, reducing electricity consumption on Line 6 by up to 30%, and by 3.6% across the whole Metro network.

5 October 2025 — The Community of Madrid is carrying out the electrification upgrade of Metro Line 6, with the goal of preparing it for driverless train operation. This work is part of the full automation project for the line known as Circular, which in 2027 will become the network's first fully automated line.

Specifically, during the initial phase of works carried out on the western section between June and September, the catenary voltage was increased from 600 to 1,500 volts. This required a complete overhaul of seven electrical substations: Moncloa, Puerta del Ángel, Lucero, Carpetana, Plaza Elíptica, Usera and Arganzuela.

At these facilities, the old components were disconnected and removed, while new protection and control systems were installed, along with transformers and rectifiers adapted to the new voltage required for the upcoming automation.

This change will also allow for greater energy efficiency once Line 6 fully reopens, with early studies indicating a reduction of up to 30% in electricity consumption on the line itself, and 3.6% across the entire Metro network.

This extremely complex operation marks a new technical milestone in the history of the Madrid underground, as it was carried out without fully interrupting service on the line. Thanks to meticulous planning, a correct electricity demand on the network was guaranteed at all times, avoiding incidents at the facilities — an operation that will be repeated at every substation still to be upgraded over the course of the works.