Bahrain Financial Harbour Holding Company (BFHHC) has awarded Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation a BD2.78 million ($7.37 million) contract for a second 66KV substation to be built this year at the Bahrain Financial Harbour (BFH) complex.

The contract includes the procurement, assembly, installation, testing and commissioning of the electrical substation.

Sumitomo Corporation, one of Japan’s largest trading firms, will supply the new city substation plant in collaboration with Japan AE Power Systems Corporation.

A separate contract, estimated at approximately BD1.4 million will soon be awarded to a civil works contractor for all civil, electrical and mechanical works required to house the plant, a statement said.

This new substation, to be constructed at the landmark $3 billion project, will be dedicated solely to meet the complex’s electrical power needs. With a maximum load capacity of  48 MVA, it will double BFH’s total power capacity  ensuring abundant and uninterrupted supply to the entire residential, commercial and entertainment components of the development.

“As a company devoted to supplying highly advanced technologies for infrastructure and construction projects all over the world, we are happy to bring our expertise to Bahrain in collaboration with Japan AE Power Systems Corporation, a joint venture of Hitachi, Fuji Electric and Meidensha and a world leader in the field of power transmission, substation and distribution systems,” said Kiyoshi Matsui, general manager, Sumitomo Corporation Bahrain.

“The contract is especially significant for us because we view BFH as an outstanding project, one that strengthens Bahrain’s position as a key international financial hub, and we are proud to be associated with the development and play a part in consolidating its infrastructural requirements to make it totally self-sufficient,” he added.

The substation, which will be adopted by the Electrical and Water Authority (EWA) upon completion, is being built on a turnkey basis and is fully financed by BFH, which will pay for its design, supervision, construction, outfitting, testing and commissioning.

EWA has also been actively involved in the design phase, providing valuable assistance to the design consultants of the substation and subsequently approving the final design, while EWA’s projects directorate will also monitor the construction of the project thus assuring a smooth transfer process upon the substation’s completion.

Located on the western part of the development across from the Dhow Harbour, it is expected to cost over BD4.5 million and is scheduled for completion by the first quarter of 2011.

Eric Fotiadis, chief development & coordination officer, BFHHC, said: “We have been striving to develop the BFH complex into a totally self-reliant and holistic work-life environment for our diverse range of tenants.”

“Ample and uninterrupted power supply is crucial to the operations of the businesses making BFH their home; therefore this second substation has always weighed in heavily in our development planning,” he added.

“Sumitomo Corporation and Japan AE Power Systems Corporation are among the world leaders in their fields, and they have assured us of that the plant which will be installed at BFH will be of the highest quality and reliability,” Fotiadis continued.

“This has always been our intention to work with the best and most reliable companies in the world. We look forward to Sumitomo Corporation’s contribution to the infrastructure we envisage for BFH and we are confident the company will deliver this challenging assignment well within the stipulated time-frame whilst maintaining their usual high quality standards,” he concluded. – TradeArabia News Service