ABB won Orders from Power Grid Corporation for Ultra High-voltage Link

The world's biggest power grid supplier, ABB won orders worth $900 million from Power Grid Corporation of India. ABB won the contract for an ultra high-voltage direct current (UHVDC) link which is likely to ease the power crisis in North India. The $1.1 billion project will be the world's first UHVDC link operating at 800 kilovolts (kV). When it starts operating it can transmit clean hydroelectric power from the north-east region of the country to Agra across a distance of 1728 km. At full capacity the link will be able to supply enough electricity to serve 90 million people. It will have a converter capacity of 8000 MW, the highest-ever built, associated with North-East Agra transmission project.

There will be two sending stations which 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. In Agra power will be converted back into AC for distribution to end users.

Also the use of ultra high-voltage will minimise transmission losses and improves efficiency. The problem of running separate power links from multiple hydropower plants to Agra is expected to get solved.

The system will be the world's first UHVDC link with three converter stations and a power transmission system with a built-in capacity of up to 8000 MW which is the largest HVDC transmission system ever built.

ABB, together with its partner BHEL will execute design, system engineering, supply, installation and commissioning. This is ABB's second multi-terminal HVDC link. The first multi-terminal HVDC link was constructed in North America in 1990-92.

BHEL will execute works worth $200 million.