The company received ordered values at more than US$540M to build the 600kV connection from the river Madeira area, where two major hydro power schemes are under construction – Santo Antonio and Jirau.
Under the contract, ABB will supply a pair of 3150MW HVDC converter stations plus a 800MWHVDC back-to-back station to transmit power over the long distance.
The transmission line project is to be completed by 2012, which is when the first bulb units of the hydro power plants are due to be commissioned.
ABB was awarded the contract by two companies in the Abengoa Group – Inabensa, of Spain, and Abengoa Construcao Brasil, of Brazil.
The 3300MW Jirau project is being built under concession by a consortium led by GDF Suez.
Santo Antonio, which will have an installed capacity of 3150MW, is being constructed – also under concession – by a consortium led by Furnas and Odebrecht.
