April 20, 2010 – ABB won an order worth $28 million to provide power and automation solutions for one of Algeria’s biggest water projects in the Sahara region. The delivery includes Extended Automation System 800xA for system wide integration, monitoring and control. The order was booked in the first quarter. Tamanrasset is an oasis city of more than 200,000 people, located deep in the Sahara desert more than 2,000 km south of Algiers. Daytime temperatures in this arid climate can exceed 50 degrees Celsius (122 degress Fahrenheit), so a reliable supply of drinking water is critical to the growth of the region.
One of the Algerian government's key projects is the “Réseau de Collecte,” which aims to deliver 50,000 cubic meters of water per day to Tamanrasset (rising to 150,000 cubic meters per day by 2030) from a large aquifer near the town of In Salah, almost 750 kilometres away. Each of the project's two phases will comprise a groundwater capture field of 24 wells, a water collection system, reservoir tanks, pumping stations and a 750 km pipeline. ABB is responsible for the design, engineering, supply and commissioning of the electrical, control and instrumentation systems, and will provide a 220 kilovolt (kV) substation.
ABB will also supply key equipment such as power transformers, auxiliary transformers, switchgear, diesel generator sets and related products to ensure an efficient and reliable power supply. ABB’s Extended Automation System 800xA and instrumentation will monitor and control the initiative. “We are proud to be associated with this challenging project,” said Peter Leupp, head of ABB’s Power Systems division. “It will bring much needed water supplies to this arid region and support the development of the local economy.
It is another example of ABB putting its vision of power and productivity for a better world into practice.” As populations grow and demand for drinking water rises, the water sector has been identified as a key growth area for ABB, whose long-standing expertise and trusted solutions have contributed to water treatment plants and distribution networks all over the world. The project will be executed with the Chinese joint venture MCC-SOCOM for Algérienne des Eaux (ADE), a state-owned utility under the management of the Water Resources Ministry. ABB is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 117,000 people.
