CHILE: Systra has been appointed to supervise construction, testing and commissioning of two extensions on the Santiago metro network.

The 28 month contract covers the 4 km Line 1 extension to Los Dominicos and the 14 km extension of Line 5 to Maipú. Systra has already started verification of the detailed design prior to inspecting installations in April 2009. Line 1 and the first 7 km section of Line 5 are due to be commissioned and operational by December 2009. The final section of Line 5 will follow in December 2010. Further expansion plans are due to be announced shortly by Chilean President Michelle Bachelet.

• Alstom has been awarded a €9·5m contract to supply its Sacem ATC for the Line 5 extension, which will allow Metro de Santiago to reduce headways to a minimum of 100 sec. Sacem is already installed on lines 1, 2 and 5.