Rome, May 17th, 2018 - More safety in the tunnels along Italy’s E45 highway through the innovative ‘Smart Tunnel’ technology. Enel X, the Enel Group division dedicated to innovative products and digital solutions, in partnership with Alpiq InTec Italia, the Italian subsidiary of Swiss technological systems O&M Group Alpiq, and Carlini Signal, the Rome-based company working on technological systems since 1979, won a tender for a three-year contract with Anas, Italy’s road and motorway network concessionaire, to refurbish all of the technical systems of the tunnels on the Orte-Cesena route. The innovation project revolves around the concept of ‘Smart Tunnel’, which focuses on the safety of motorists, especially in the event of a fire.
“This agreement marks the entry of Enel X into a new sector alongside leading partners,” said Francesco Venturini, Head of Enel X. “Technological innovation, which is the driving force of the commitment of Enel X in its many fields of activity, is being placed at the service of a cause that is very close to our heart: the safety of people.”
Fire safety in tunnels is a crucial issue for motorways, as demonstrated by accidents in the transalpine tunnels, where temperatures reached over 1,000 degrees and it took up to 48 hours to extinguish the flames. The project will cover all tunnel systems: from lighting to fire prevention systems, ventilation, video surveillance and signage, integrating safety, energy efficiency and technological innovation into a single solution.
More specifically, Enel X with its partners Alpiq and Carlini Signal will install a remote-controlled LED lighting system, an electronic speed monitoring system, variable message panels (VMS) using LED technology, a water storage system for firefighting hydrants, fixed cameras to measure emissions and the latest generation electrical systems for managing communication with the Anas remote control centre.