Kuwait substation goes live as country celebrates

The first of three ABB-built substations is to go live shortly, as Kuwait celebrates 25 years of liberation. (Getty Images)

The first of three Kuwaiti substations contracted to ABB is to go live on the country's 50th anniversary of liberation, following the Gulf War.

With a contractual completion time of 20 months the substation in Sulaibiya is the first to come live, and in conjunction with two others at Fintas and Jabriya, will help boost the country’s energy by 1500MW.

Linked to the GCC’s Interconnection Grid substation in Kuwait, they will also increase the nation’s transmission voltage from 300kv to 400kv, with the higher voltage looking set to strengthen the grid’s reliability and increase its capacity to meet rising demand for electricity. All three substations are planned to be operational in time for Kuwait’s peak season of electricity usage in summer.

Story continues below

Advertisement

FEATURED COMMENT Please click here to comment on this article

ABB was awarded the project to design, supply, install, test and commission the substations back in 2009, in a contract worth around US$550 million. Discussing the contract Richard Ledgard, ABB Juwait’s country manager, said: “Kuwait’s Ministry of Electricity and Water had the foresight to commission these substations to meet the country’s increasing need for power. The time within which we were asked to complete these substations was very tight, but we’ve delivered on time for Sulaibiya and we are also on schedule to hand over Fintas and Jabriya.”

Key components of the installations include gas-insulated switchgear, low-voltage auxiliary systems and network protection, control equipment, and the largest power transformers currently energised in the Gulf. Each substation will house four 703 tonne transformers which operate at 750MVA with voltage levels of 400/300/33kV.