Improving the efficiency of heat and water supply
To advance Russian Railways’ strategic objectives, improve energy efficiency, phase out non‑performing facilities, optimise operating costs, and mitigate environmental impact, the Central Directorate for Heat and Water Supply carries out annual upgrades of the heat and water supply infrastructure.
2024 highlights:
Modular coal‑fired boiler houses were introduced at:
- the Krasnoyarsk‑Vostochny station (Krasnoyarskaya Railway) – with a capacity of 3.2 MW;
- the Karymskaya station (Trans‑Baikal Railway) – with a capacity of 1.2 MW;
- the Vysokogornaya and Sovetskaya Gavan‑Sortirovochnaya stations (Far Eastern Railway) – with a capacity of 5 MW and 3.4 MW, respectively.
Modular diesel‑fired boiler houses were introduced at the Bologoye station (Oktyabrskaya Railway) – with a total capacity of 4 MW.
The boiler house at the Tuapse station (North Caucasus Railway) was transitioned from fuel oil to natural gas — with a capacity of 2.12 MW.
2024 saw 63 boiler houses transitioning to alternative fuel and energy sources across Russian Railways, with 55 of them not in active use.
West‑Siberian Railway:
- the construction of a district coal‑fired boiler house at the Karasuk station was completed – with a capacity of 11.5 MW;
- electric steam generators were supplied and assembled at the Moskovka station.
Vortex induction package units were introduced within the October, Moscow, North Caucasus, South‑Eastern, Kuybyshevskaya, Sverdlovskaya, South Urals, West‑Siberian, Krasnoyarskaya, East‑Siberian, and Trans‑Baikal Railways to eliminate manual labour and improve performance.
Introduction of digital technologies
Process digitalisation and implementation of initiatives included in the Digital Transformation Strategy of Russian Railways are one of the key tools helping the Company to deliver on its long‑term development plan.
As part of the Digitalisation Programme, the Central Directorate for Heat and Water Supply implemented the following in 2024.
The Automated Accounting and Billing System for Housing and Utility Services was modified, which helped to:
- extend the functionality of the system;
- reduce the volume of manual input and uploading of information;
- ensure compliance with Russia’s requirements for housing and utility services.
The Company upgraded the Unified Automated Infrastructure Management System by introducing a Unified Database of the Central Directorate for Heat and Water Supply’s Facilities (now Automated Management System of the Central Directorate for Heat and Water Supply). Thanks to the project:
- a transition was made from the IBM Maximo imported platform to Jmix, a domestic one;
- the functionality was expanded, including new upload forms, analytical tools, catalogues of equipment used at a branch, and also a more comprehensive block of economic and volume indicators;
- algorithms of would‑be integration with Russian Railways’ information systems were developed;
- the number of manual operations was reduced;
- the speed of receiving and processing information was accelerated;
- the efficiency and quality of production control and records were increased.
In 2024, Russian Railways’ Expert and Methodological Council for Digital Transformation approved a project to introduce a digital service for modelling and assessing the utilities operation modes. It will enable the Company to model, assess and analyse both existing and potential modes of utilities operation to ensure high-quality service and reduction of heat and hydraulic losses at all stages of service generation and transmission. The project is slated for 2025–2029.
A data presentation service for Russian Railways’ infrastructure was launched and put into operation. The service will be used by the Central Directorate for Heat and Water Supply to manage heat and water supply and water disposal facilities. The service helps provide information for analysing key properties of facilities and making quick and effective management decisions. The data for the service are sourced from the Unified Database of the Central Directorate for Heat and Water Supply’s Facilities (Automated Management System of the Central Directorate for Heat and Water Supply since 1 July 2025).
