ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has won orders worth USD 100 million for substations to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s transmission and distribution network.

ABB will design, supply, install and commission three 110 kilovolt substations that will serve the growing power needs of the Mecca region. Based on ABB’s gas-insulated switchgear technology, the substations have a compact footprint and will be located within the city to serve commercial and residential areas under development.

As part of turnkey projects, ABB will deliver gas-insulated switchgear (GIS), transformers, medium-voltage switchgear, low-voltage auxiliary systems, network protection and control systems, as well as communication and SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) solutions to help monitor and control the network.

Mr Peter Leupp head of ABB's Power Systems division said that “Besides boosting capacity and increasing grid reliability, these substations will help improve energy efficiency, strengthen power transmission in the region, improve power quality and enable better control of the distribution network.”

The substations are scheduled to be commissioned in 2011 and will be operated by Saudi Electric Company, the national power generation and distribution utility. They will help to develop the power infrastructure around Mecca.