ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has won an order worth around $85 million to provide turnkey substations to help integrate electricity from a new independent water and power plant (IWPP) into the country’s grid. 

The IWPP will utilize 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. 

Qatar, on a peninsula east of Saudi Arabia, is building 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 neighbors. 

“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,” said Claudio Facchin, 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.” 

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. 

ABB is the world’s leading supplier of turnkey air-insulated, gas-insulated and hybrid substations with voltage levels up to 1,100 kV. These substations facilitate the efficient and reliable transmission and distribution of electricity with minimum environmental impact, serving utility, industry and commercial customers as well as sectors like railways, urban transportation and renewables.