Siemens Energy said it has clinched orders worth euros 600 million ($789 million) from Qatar's state-owned utility General Water & Electricity Corporation (Kahramaa) for supply of electrical power generating equipment.

The order encompasses the supply of 15 turnkey substations for the 400 kV, 220 kV, 132 kV, 66 kV and 11 kV voltage levels, including transformers, control and protection equipment, as well as extension and modification of existing substations, said a Siemens statement.

Ajay Kumar Dixit, executive vice president Siemens Energy South Asia and Dr Udo Niehage, CEO of Siemens Power Transmission signed the contract in the presence of Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Attiyah, energy and industry minister and the deputy prime minister of Qatar and Issa Bin Hilal Al-Kuwari, acting managing director of Kahramaa.

Under the contract, Siemens will supply substations and switchgear valued at euros510 million as well as associated cables valued at euros90 million to Kahramaa, which is in charge of generating and distributing the electrical power in Qatar.

“We’re proud that Kahramaa has again opted for field-proven, first-class equipment from Siemens for the expansion of Qatar’s grid. Expansion of the country’s power supply system is a demanding project, for which practically the whole range of our products and systems will be deployed,” said Dr Niehage.

One of the challenges involved in this project is maintaining power supply while work is being performed on the existing infrastructure. Several substations also have to be erected in parallel with a short space of time, he added.

As part of the national project to expand the power distribution network in Qatar, Siemens was awarded a contract named Phase IX. For this Siemens has over the last five years installed more than 70 switchgears and approximately 1400 km of high-voltage cable.

Siemens said it has completed all projects to date totalling euros1.6 billion within the defined schedule. In 2006 Siemens had received the most recent major order from Kahramaa worth euros700 million in the seventh phase.

The construction of a new 400kV substation to connect the Qatar network to the GCC grid is included in the work. Siemens will supply gas-insulated switchgear, protection equipment and equipment for online condition monitoring.

About 400 km of 66 and 132kV high-voltage cables are part of the order. The completion is scheduled for mid-2012, the company said.

'The substations will be distributed across the whole country, including the cities of Doha, Dukhan and Maesaieed,' Dr Niehage added.-TradeArabia News Service