ABB has won an order worth around $85 million to provide turnkey substations in Qatar.

The move is aimed at supporting the integration of new power and seawater desalination plant in the country.

Under the contract, ABB will be responsible for the design, engineering, supply, installation and commissioning of three turnkey substations, which will be used to feed the grid and later step down power for distribution along the new planned development areas.

The 400 kilovolt (kV) and 220/132 kV substations are equipped with state-of-the-art gas-insulated switchgear as well as advanced control and protection and telecommunication systems, said the statement from ABB.

The automation giant said it will help integrate electricity from a new independent water and power plant (IWPP) into the country’s grid through the new substations.

The IWPP will utilise Qatar’s natural gas resources to produce 2,520 megawatts (MW) of power and desalination capacity of around 600 million liters of water daily, helping supply drinking water and power to one of the economic zones that Qatar has made a centerpiece of its plans to modernize and diversify its economy, it added.

According to ABB, Qatar is building an ambitious infrastructure including rail, energy and water desalination facilities.

Such projects, undertaken with expertise from ABB, will help prepare the country’s economy to accommodate a growing population that exceeds two million now and is expanding at about three times the rate of Gulf neighbours.

“We have an extensive presence and track-record in the region and are pleased to contribute to Qatar’s efforts to expand capacity and address the growing demand for electricity and fresh water,” remarked Claudio Facchin, the president of ABB’s Power Systems division.

“This success supports the re-focus of the Power Systems division and ABB’s Next Level strategic thrust on growing markets,” he noted.-TradeArabia News Service