ABB has won an order worth around $16 million from Mass Global Investment Co. for the construction of a substation and SVC Light (static var compensator) system that will supply electricity to a new melt shop and steel rolling mill in northern Iraq. The order was received in the first quarter.
The steel manufacturing plant will have an annual melting capacity of 1,000,000 tons of billets. Its furnace capacity will be 120 tons and the plant will use scrap metal as input material. The rolling mill part of the plant will have an annual capacity of 650,000 tons of steel bars produced from billets.
ABB is responsible for the design, engineering, supply and commissioning of the project. The turnkey scope of supply includes 132- and 36-kV switchgear with disconnector circuit breakers (DCBs), control and protection systems, transformers and the SVC equipment. The project is scheduled for completion by 2013.
“This solution will boost transmission capacity to serve the needs of the steel plant and enhance grid reliability in the region. The solution will also improve the quality of electricity supply and efficiency of the manufacturing process,” said Brice Koch, head of the Power Systems division.
ABB’s innovative, compact and energy-efficient DCB integrates the disconnecting function into the circuit breaker, thereby eliminating the need for separate conventional disconnectors. This reduces the footprint and minimizes maintenance requirements.
The station will also be equipped with an SVC Light reactive power compensation technology. SVC Light is part of ABB’s FACTS (flexible alternating current transmission systems) portfolio that enhances the security, capacity and flexibility of power transmission and distribution systems, and improves productivity and power quality. It’s highly dynamic response capability, makes it ideally suited for applications in the metallurgical industry where it helps mitigate electric arc furnace flicker, thereby improving efficiency.
