ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has won orders worth $60 million from Saudi Electricity Company to improve the power efficiency of 28 distribution substations. ABB is responsible for the design, engineering, supply, installation and commissioning of the projects, which are expected to be completed by 2010. ABB technologies will improve the power factor, which is a measure of how efficiently power is being used. “These solutions will enable the substations to operate more efficiently, thereby increasing the availability of electricity and improving power quality,” said Peter Leupp, head of ABB's Power Systems division. ABB will provide power factor correction for 19 substations rated 33/13.8 kilovolts in central, southern and northwestern provinces, and for nine, 132/33 kV substations in and around Riyadh. Products to be supplied include capacitor banks, reactors, medium-voltage switchgear, protection and control equipment, and a SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system to help the utility manage the flow of power in the network.
