ABB wins $28 million order to upgrade substations in India

power and automation technology group ABB has won an order worth around $28 million from India’s leading transmission company, PowerGrid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL), for the extension of three substations in Vadodara, Manesar and Malerkotla, across the country’s eastern and northern regions. ABB’s solution will help augment the substations to meet growing demand in the states of Gujarat, Haryana and Punjab, which form a significant part of the country’s agricultural belt. The order was booked in the second quarter of 2015.

In Vadadora and Manesar this involves the extension of the current 765/400 kilovolt (kV) Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) substations, while in Malerkotla the substation will be upgraded from air-insulated switchgear (AIS) to GIS. ABB’s GIS is designed to enhance grid reliability with minimized footprint, lifecycle costs and environmental impact.

“ABB has been growing with India for over several decades and this project is yet another example of our contribution to the strengthening of the country’s grid,” said Oleg Aleinikov, head of ABB’s substations business, a part of the company’s Power Systems division. “This is also in line with our Next Level strategy to expand in growing markets and support infrastructure development.”

The scope of supply for this project consists of a substation package including supply of 2X500 MVA, 400/220 kV transformers, nine 400 kV and seven 220 kV GIS bays, a 125 MVAR reactor and other associated equipment including Power Line Carrier Communication (PLCC), control and relay protection, and augmentation of the substation automation system based on IEC-61850 compliant open communication standards. ABB will be responsible for the design, engineering, installation, and commissioning of the substations.

ABB is the world’s leading supplier of turnkey air-insulated, gas-insulated and hybrid substations with voltage levels up to 1,100 kV. These substations facilitate the efficient and reliable transmission and distribution of electricity with minimum environmental impact, serving utility, industry and commercial customers as well as sectors like railways, urban transportation and renewables.