ABB bags $900 million order from PowerGrid.

(25 Match 2011, Source: Economic Times)

ABB, the world's biggest power grid supplier, said it has won orders worth $900 million from Power Grid Corporation of India , for an ultra high-voltage direct current (UHVDC) link, which will ease the power crisis in North India. The project worth $1.1 billion will be the world's first UHVDC link operating at 800 kilovolts (kV). Once operational, it can transmit clean hydroelectric power from the north-east region of the country to Agra, across a distance of 1,728 km. "When operating at full capacity, the link will be able to supply enough electricity to serve 90 million people. The use of ultra high-voltage minimises transmission losses and improves efficiency," ABB said. It will have a converter capacity of 8,000 MW, the highest-ever built, associated with North-East Agra transmission project. This would further reduce costs compared to the alternative of running separate power links from multiple hydropower plants to Agra. This transmission super highway will to a large extent ease the ever increasing power shortages in northern India, the company said. The system will be the world's first UHVDC link with three converter stations and a power transmission system with a built-in capacity of up to 8,000 MW which is the largest HVDC transmission system ever built. "There will be two 'sending' stations which will convert power from AC to DC for transmission over a single power line that will pass through the narrow Siliguri Corridor and deliver electricity to the third, 'receiving' station in Agra where it will be converted back into AC for distribution to end users," ABB said. ABB, together with its partner BHEL will execute design, system engineering, supply, installation and commissioning. This is ABB's second multi-terminal HVDC link: The first was constructed in North America in 1990-92. The first stage of the system is scheduled to be operational in 2014 and the second stage in 2015.

While ABB won the lion's share in the project, BHEL will execute works worth $200 million.