Substation expansion

ABB has won a $34m (£29m) order from the Saudi Electricity Company for the refurbishment and expansion of 20 distribution substations to strengthen the electricity network in the western provinces of the country.

One of the key objectives is to apply power factor correction to enable Saudi Arabia’s national power transmission and distribution utility to improve the stability and efficiency of its transmission network.

ABB is responsible for the design, engineering, supply, installation and commissioning of the equipment to improve the substations.

The products supplied will include capacitor banks, medium-voltage switchgear, protection and control equipment, and a SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system that will enable the utility to manage the flow of power in the network. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2010.

Substations are key installations in the transmission and distribution grid that transform voltage levels and distribute electricity. They facilitate efficient transmission and distribution, and include equipment that enables protection and control of electrical power.