Stmt.re Environmental Award

ABB Ltd
16 October 2002


ABB power transmission project wins national environmental award in Australia


Murraylink is world longest's underground high-voltage connection


Zurich, Switzerland, October 16, 2002 - A recently completed, high profile power
project in Australia, using ABB technology, has been awarded a prestigious
environmental award.

The Murraylink project - the world's longest underground high-voltage
interconnection at 177 kilometers - won the 2002 Case EARTH Award for
Environmental Excellence for best practice and innovation in the environmental
management of civil construction projects. The award was presented by the Civil
Contractors Federation of Australia.


The underground interconnection, using ABB's HVDC (high-voltage direct current)
LightTM technology ,  won as a result of the environmental management and
measures taken to minimize environmental impact during its construction.


'This national award shows that a high level of environmental care is possible
in large infrastructure projects,' said Richard Siudek, executive vice president
and head of ABB's Utilities division. 'This is a first for such a power project
and underscores the environmental benefits of the HVDC Light technology.'



The Murraylink project will transfer 220-megawatts of power between the states
of Victoria and South Australia. Underground cable was chosen instead of
overhead transmission lines to reduce visual and environmental impact, and to
protect against Australia's traditional causes of power outages such as
lightning, wild life or bush fires.



Murraylink Transmission Company Pty., a subsidiary of TransEnergie, the
transmission division of Hydro-Quebec, Canada, developed and operates the
interconnection. ABB was responsible for the design, installation and
commissioning of the complete HVDC Light transmission system, with the local
contractor PIHA Pty Ltd carrying out the cable laying.


ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable
utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering
environmental impacts. The ABB Group of companies operates in more than 100
countries and employs about 150,000 people worldwide.


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