ABB, a leading power and automation technology group, has won an order worth $95 million from the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC), Saudi Arabia’s national power transmission utility, for substations to help strengthen the country’s distribution network.
ABB will provide turnkey solutions for five new substations to increase the capacity of the Saudi Arabian distribution grid and help meet the needs of the growing economy in the region. The order was booked in the fourth quarter of 2008 and the projects are scheduled for completion in 2011.
“In addition to enhancing grid capacity, ABB’s substation solutions will help improve efficiency and quality of power in the region,” said Peter Leupp, head of ABB's Power Systems division.
ABB is responsible for the design, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the 132 kV (kilovolt) and 110 kV substations. Key components include gas-insulated switchgear , transformers, medium voltage switchgear, low voltage auxiliary systems, network protection and control, as well as communication and SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) solutions.
Substations facilitate efficient transmission and distribution, and also include equipment for protection and control of electrical power. ABB has delivered around 10,000 substations worldwide, at voltage levels up to 800 kV.