Areva has snapped up it biggest contract worth about 500 million euros ($731 million) from Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation, to develop gas-insulated
substations in Doha.

The Kahramaa contract is part of the Qatar Power Transmission System Expansion
program and includes the turnkey delivery of 14 gas-insulated substations
(GIS1) besides the development and enhancement of the network.

Areva's transmission and Distribution division (T&D) will deliver the equipment by
the first quarter of 2010, said a top company official.

'In addition to this historic win, we have been awarded a second contract, which
includes the delivery of a state-of-the-art technology to upgrade the National Control
Center. The center, built by Areva in the late 90’s, represents the core of the
country’s power transmission system,' Anne Lauvergeon, CEO of Areva said.

'With a 20 per cent market share in the region, Areva’s activities have grown significantly
over the past few years thanks to its recognized expertise. These strategic wins
accompany the booming development of Qatar and secure power supply for both
domestic and industrial end-users,' she pointed out.

The contracts were signed during an official ceremony in the presence of Sheikh Hamad
Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, emir of the State of Qatar, the French president Nicolas Sarkozy,
Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, deputy prime minister and minister of energy and
industry of Qatar, Lauvergeon and Philippe Guillemot, chairman and CEO of the group’s
T&D division.-TradeArabia News Service