Zurich, Switzerland-based ABB, a power and automation technology group, has won an order worth $87 million to expand and strengthen the power transmission network in the Los Angeles area so that it can deliver more electricity from renewable sources.
The capacity of the 22-year-old Intermountain Power Project Southern Transmission System will be increased by 25%, to 2,400 MW, by 2010. The upgrade is part of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's (LADWP) goal to bring 20% of power to customers from renewable energy sources by the end of the decade.
Intermountain Power Agency and LADWP selected ABB to upgrade the high-voltage direct current system with a control and protection system, MACH2, as well as efficient cooling systems for the valves that convert the current from AC to DC and back, and additional AC filters to strengthen the quality of the power supply.
According to the company, the project implementation for LADWP will cause minimal disruption to existing services, with 75% of the system's capacity being maintained during the refurbishment.
SOURCE: ABB
