The tensioning device (NSV) newly developed by Balfour Beatty Rail is used on catenary equipment and fl at catenaries primarily of tram powering installations. It has been designed to withstand tensile forces of up to 12 kN. Since the device can be fully incorporated in steel tube poles, it represents an innovative and attractive alternative to conventional solutions that have been applied for an extended time. Following a successful test phase the tensioning device, for which a patent was applied as early as 2011, is planned to be used in local transport projects in Germany as from September 2012.