Power and automation technology group ABB has secured a contract from the Power Grid Corporation of India to deliver an ultrahigh-voltage transmission system, worth about $900m. The power link will supply hydropower from northeast India to the city of Agra over a distance of 1,728 kms.
ABB will execute the north-east Agra transmission project together with Indian state-run Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, which will deliver the remainder of the project worth more than USD 1.1bn.
The ultrahigh-voltage direct current link operating at 800kV will have a converter capacity of 8,000MW and the system will include 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.