Customised Stadler locomotives for the Paris metro

On 21 October 2024, the Paris metro operator, Régie autonome des transports Parisiens (RATP), has commissioned Stadler to manufacture and supply twelve customised locomotives. This is the first order that Stadler has received from RATP, the third-largest urban transport operator in the world, carrying 11 million passengers daily. The framework agreement includes an option for two further "tracteurs" (which is a traditional name by the RATP for these locomotives).

RATP will use the locomotives to carry out service, maintenance and repair work on the infrastructure of the Paris Metro network, which is approximately 245 km long. The new locomotives will haul heavy work trains to construction sites and will be authorised to operate in parallel with normal metro services, as well as on the routes operated without drivers. They will haul trains of around 120 tonnes in single traction and around 240 tonnes in double traction.

For these locomotives a tender was invited by RATP in 2023. The new four-axle machines are part of an RATP project aimed at making the maintenance of the metro infrastructure more efficient. They will complement the existing fleet from 2027, will run on the 1,435 mm track gauge and are designed to accommodate the tight curves that characterise this network. The locomotives with a maximum speed of 40 km/h will be 15 m long, equipped with automatic couplings and capable of double traction.

Under normal operation, the third rail supplies the electrical energy of 750 V DC, which can be used to recharge the traction batteries (these locomotives will no have the roof pantograph). On construction sites, where the conductor rail is switched off, the locomotives will be  powered by traction batteries. These locomotives can be used on all 14 lines of the Paris Metro, including the conventional routes and those used by vehicles with rubber tyres (Pneu-Metro).

Given the number of 12 locomotives, it appears a questions if the new Stadler machines to be built in Bussnang will replace the CAF locomotives that should have been delivered long ago. Therefore we asked RATP:

1) in what month 2023 started a tender for these new 12 + 2 locomotives?
2) which companies took part in the latter tender?
3) will these Stadler locomotives replace the CAF ones whose delivery was planned to start already in 2019? 
4) was the CAF contract from 2017 annuled? If not, when is it expected that these locomotives will start regular service?
5) what is the reason behind such huge delay?
6) how much was the penalty for CAF assessed for the delay of the contract?

We are waiting for an answer.