ABB wins $24 million upgrade order

Power and automation technology group

has announced it has won a $24 million contract to help increase electrical power output at the Oskarshamn Unit 3 nuclear reactor, on the southeast coast of Sweden.

The plant’s owner, OKG, wants to increase power generation from 1,200 to 1,450 megawatts, which is enough additional power to heat about 100,000 homes. ABB is a subcontractor to Alstom Power Sweden on the project, which was awarded by OKG to perform the necessary upgrades on the turbine and electrical plant.

ABB will deliver power transformers, modifications and certification of generator circuit breakers and isolated phase bus ducts, as well as project work and support to the plant.

ABB’s technology will be used to transmit electricity from the plant’s power generators to Sweden’s 400-kilovolt grid. The project is scheduled for completion in mid-2008.

OKG operates three nuclear power plants, which together supply 10 per cent of Sweden’s total electricity supply. Oskarshamn Unit 3 is OKG’s largest reactor, which after the upgrade will operate until 2045.