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| ABB to provide link for power superhighway in India ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has been selected by Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. (PGCIL) to deliver an ultrahigh-voltage transmission system, worth about $900 million. The link will supply hydropower from northeastern India to the city of Agra over a distance of 1,728 kilometers. ABB has been chosen to execute the North-East Agra transmission project together with BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited), a leading Indian government-owned power company that will deliver the remainder of the project worth more than $1.1 billion in total. The order will be booked on completion of financing requirements. The ultrahigh-voltage direct current (UHVDC) link operating at 800 kilovolts (kV) will have a converter capacity of 8, 000 megawatts (MW), the highest ever built. When operating at full capacity, the link will be able to supply enough electricity to serve 90 million people based on average national consumption. Using ultrahigh-voltage minimizes transmission losses and improves efficiency. The system will be the world's first UHVDC link with three converter stations: Two "sending" stations 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. The multi-terminal solution considerably reduces costs compared to the alternative of running separate power links from multiple hydropower plants to Agra. The project will be executed on a turnkey basis including 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. write your comments about the article :: © 2011 Construction News :: home page |