Madrid is one of the European cities with the largest number of urban tunnels through which nearly 70,000 vehicles pass every day. Among them is the two-way Alfonso XII tunnel, located in the heart of the Atocha district, beneath Claudio Moyano Street and close to one of the entrances to El Retiro Park. This underpass connects key points of the city, such as the Puerta de Alcalá and Atocha Station, and is a common alternative route to the Paseo del Prado for many drivers.

As part of the lighting renovation plan drawn up by Madrid City Council, the tunnel’s lighting system was replaced with LED technology. The project, carried out by Madrid Tunnel Maintenance Joint Venture, had as its main objectives improving safety and visibility while optimising energy consumption and reducing carbon emissions.

MORE EFFICIENT, HIGHER-QUALITY LIGHTING

The chosen solution for the renovation was Carandini’s T-XTREME floodlight, a modular luminaire available in three different sizes and with various optics to suit all types of tunnels. Its technology delivers significant energy savings compared to the previous discharge lighting installation, while ensuring high light levels and excellent uniformity along the entire tunnel. This model has already proven its effectiveness in more than 12 tunnels in Madrid, including Comercio, Planetario, Princesa, Olavide, Estrella Naos and Doctor Esquerdo.

REDUCED MAINTENANCE AND LONGER LIFETIME

The old high-pressure sodium lamps had an average lifetime of around 16,000 hours, meaning they needed replacing approximately every two years. With the LED technology of the T-XTREME floodlight, the lifetime exceeds 100,000 hours, significantly reducing interventions and maintenance costs.

The design of the T-XTREME is based on the Zhaga standard, which allows for the easy replacement of components such as the driver or optics, preventing obsolescence, facilitating the incorporation of future technological improvements, and accelerating return on investment. In addition, the front access to the driver—without tools and with quick connectors—simplifies both installation and maintenance.

For greater durability, the unit features separate compartments for the LED module and electrical components and delivers an efficiency of up to 166 lm/W, ensuring top-level lighting performance.

VISUAL COMFORT WITH A FORWARD-LOOKING APPROACH

The lighting has been configured with a colour temperature of 4000K, providing clear and comfortable light for drivers. Moreover, the floodlights have been prepared for future integration into DALI control systems, enabling smarter and more adaptable management.

With this project, Carandini strengthens its leadership in technical lighting for infrastructure, offering robust solutions that combine energy efficiency, lighting quality and respect for the urban environment.