New Order

ABB Ltd
14 December 2001


ABB wins US$ 19 million deal for six new electricity substations in Romania

New designs will enable project completion in only 18 months

Zurich, Switzerland, December 14 - ABB has won a US$ 19 million order from SC 
Electrica SA, the Romanian electricity distribution utility, to supply a 
complete turnkey package of six 110/20 kV substations to reinforce the 110 kV 
distribution network at locations throughout the country,

Electrica urgently needs the new substations to meet Romania's increasing demand
for electrical power, and ABB's use of modular indoor and outdoor substations 
will enable the project to be implemented in just 18 months.

'The Electrica order represents a breakthrough for ABB's novel substation 
technology in the Romanian market,' said Richard Siudek, executive vice 
president and head of ABB utilities division. 'The installation in central 
Bucharest will be particularly important as the two-storey urban indoor 
substation exemplifies how we can combine high safety levels into an 
aesthetically pleasing, cost-effective design which has a low impact on the 
local environment.'

ABB's total commitment includes design, procurement, manufacturing, installation
and testing of all six substations before they are handed over to Electrica. Six
regional divisions of Electrica are the ultimate clients, but during the 
contract phase all activities will be coordinated from the head office in the 
capital, Bucharest. Civil construction and installation works will be 
subcontracted locally and coordinated by ABB in Bucharest.

In three residential installations in Bucharest, Tulcea Centru and Cluj-Stadion,
ABB is supplying urban indoor substations, which have low maintenance 
requirements, occupy less space than traditional substations and blend in with 
the local surroundings.

In the industrial areas of Brasov-Dirste, Tecuci and Comanesti, ABB will install
PS-1 outdoor substations. These cost around 20 percent less than conventional 
substations and can be ready for operation in about half the total project time.

In addition to the six substations, the ABB package also includes the 
refurbishment of an existing substation in Comanesti with the installation of 13
vacuum circuit breakers, as well as the provision of a new feeder-bay for Cluj-
Manastur substation, which will feed the new substation in Cluj.

ABB (www.abb.com) is a global leader in power and automation technologies that 
enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering 
environmental impact. ABB has 160,000 employees in more than 100 countries.