Power Supply for Bridges

Due to their structure and considerable length, bridges and viaducts do not allow the installation of traditional transformer substations directly on the structure.

This creates a major challenge for electrical power transmission: at low voltage, the cable cross-sections required become excessively large, making installation complex, costly, and difficult to integrate in environments exposed to humidity, vibrations, and sea salt in the case of coastal bridges.

Electrical power transmission over long distances generally relies on high-voltage lines, which require substantial infrastructure with electrical substations. These installations cannot simply be placed on a bridge without compromising:

• The structural safety of the structure, due to additional loads and potential risks to the integrity of the deck or pylons.
• Ease of access for operation and maintenance, which is limited on civil engineering structures.

Within this context, AUGIER offers electrical solutions specifically designed to meet the constraints of these structures:

• Compact solutions, integrating protection and transformation systems suitable for limited spaces.
• Robust equipment, capable of withstanding climatic conditions, vibrations, and the mechanical stresses typical of bridges.
• Simplified installation, enabling rapid, safe, and durable deployment without the need for conventional transformer substations that are difficult to integrate.

These solutions ensure a reliable and continuous power supply for all essential bridge equipment, such as:

• Roadway lighting, ensuring visibility and safety for users.

• Surveillance cameras, essential for infrastructure security.
• Pumping and drainage systems crucial for structures exposed to severe weather conditions.
• Safety signaling, ensuring visibility for aircraft or vessels.

Some of the largest suspension bridges in China and Africa, as well as iconic French structures such as the Pont de Normandie, the Pont de Saint‑Nazaire, and the Pont de l’Île de Ré, use AUGIER solutions.

• RÉ Island Bridge: Securing and supplying power to electrical outlets distributed over 2,900 metres.
• Normandie Bridge: Lighting and architectural highlighting, 800 kVA over 8 kilometres.
• Penang Bridge: Lighting, with lamp posts distributed over 17 kilometres.
• Suspension bridge in China: Lighting, with lamp posts distributed over 15.6 kilometres.
• Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge: Lighting and power supply for the camera network, 6,600 metres.

Contact our experts. We will carry out a free, tailored study, and provide you with the most suitable and cost-effective solution, regardless of the type or length of your structure.

Request a study → contact@augier.com