ABB, a leading power and automation technology group, has clinched a $55-million deal from Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) to build a gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) substation that will integrate power from the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar park in the UAE emirate.

The park is one of the biggest renewable energy projects in the Middle East and North Africa region. It is expected to cover an area of more than 40 sq km and produce 1,000 MW of clean energy when completed in 2030, said a statement from ABB.

The GIS substation will help enhance transmission capacity, boost power supplies and strengthen the reliability of the grid.

The second phase of the 100 megawatt (MW) solar power plant in Seih Al Dahal, about 50 km south of Dubai, is scheduled to commence generation in 2017.

“The substation will help increase transmission capacity and deliver clean solar power to meet growing demand for electricity in the region,” said

Commenting on the win, Claudio Facchin, the head of ABB’s power systems division, said: "We are pleased to help the UAE strengthen its power network and increase the use of renewable energy."

As part of the turnkey contract, ABB is responsible for the design, installation, commissioning and start-up of the plant. Key products to be supplied include eight bays of 400 kilovolt (kV) and 10 bays of 132 kV GIS, two 132/400 kV power transformers rated at 570 megavolt-ampere (MVA), as well as the protection system, automation and control system, surveillance and communication.

The substation will also be IEC 61850 enabled to support open communications automation and protection.

Managing director and CEO Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer said Dewa works to enhance the efficiency of its network and establishes pivotal projects to achieve the highest standards of efficiency and reliability.

"This forms the basis of our co-operation with ABB, which has a record of innovation in renewable energy technologies, sustainable transport and energy efficiency," he added.-TradeArabia News Service