ABB to build Irish power trading system

ABB has won a multi-million Euro contract to provide the computer systems and software infrastructure for the new Single Electricity Market (SEM) for Ireland and Northern Ireland.

The contract was awarded jointly by the Electricity Supply Board National Grid (ESBNG), the Transmission System Operator and Market Operator in the Republic of Ireland and System Operator Northern Ireland (SONI), the grid operator for Northern Ireland.

Under the agreement, ABB will act as prime contractor, working closely with Navita, a provider of energy trading systems.

The new system will be used to trade electrical power consumed by all homes and businesses in Ireland, more than 25,000GW annually. It will provide for a uniform power market across the island and improved North-South power trading. The new market is expected to increase competition and a better environment for the deployment of merchant power generation throughout Ireland when it commences operation in July 2007.