ABB has agreed to build a gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) sub-station to integrate power from the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar park in Dubai
The Swiss company has won an order worth nearly US$55mn from Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) to build this sub-station, said officials from ABB. The order was awarded in Q3 2014.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar park is one of the largest renewable energy projects in the MENA region. Upon completion in 2030, it is expected to cover an area of 40 sq km and produce 1,000MW of clean electricity. The solar park will support the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030, revealed ABB officials.
Claudio Facchin, head of power systems at ABB, said, ?The sub-station will help increase transmission capacity and deliver clean solar power to meet growing demand for electricity in the region. We are pleased to help the UAE strengthen its power network and increase the use of renewable energy.?
As part of the turnkey contract, ABB is responsible for the design, installation, commissioning and start-up of the plant. Key products to be supplied include eight bays of 400 kV and 10 bays of 132 kV GIS, two 132/400 kV power transformers rated at 570 megavolt-ampere as well as the protection system, automation and control system, surveillance and communication. The sub-station will also be IEC 61850-enabled to support open communications automation and protection.
