ABB Wins $20 Million Order to Strengthen Power Supply in Mexico

ABB has won an order worth $20 million to supply a Static-Var Compensator (SVC) to Luz y Fuerza del Centro to allow a better response to blackouts and power disturbances in peak hours in the northeast suburbs of Mexico City.

"Our technology will help to ensure a reliable power supply in Mexico City", said Dinesh Paliwal, head of ABB in North America and President of Global Markets and Technology for the Group.

The Interconnection System that supplies power from distant generators to Mexico City and its suburbs causes power disturbances in peak hours. ABB's SVC will work together with two more ABB compensators located in Texcoco and Topilejo in the northeast part of the city to improve the reliability of Mexico's 400 kV transmission system, even in severe contingencies.

ABB will supply the SVC and supervise the engineering work; the equipment and its components will be supplied by ABB factories in Mexico and Sweden. The system is expected to start operating in 2008.