April 15, 2009 – ABB won an order worth around $20 million from Oncor to supply a Static VAr Compensator (SVC) unit to support the transmission grid in north Texas. The order was booked in the first quarter and the turnkey project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2010. The SVC unit will be installed at the Renner substation in the northern part of the state. ABB has won three similar orders from Oncor in the past, most recently in 2008 for a project in the vicinity of Renner. The first two SVC units, delivered to the Parkdale substation in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, are scheduled to begin operations in mid-2009.
The Parkdale installation is the world’s largest cluster of SVC technology.SVC devices provide fast-acting reactive power compensation in high-voltage electricity networks, which enhances stability by countering fluctuations in the voltage and current of an electric grid, and by allowing more power to flow through the network. The technology is part of ABB’s family of Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS) solutions that increase the capacity of existing transmission networks and improve their reliability. “This is an innovative ‘no wires’ solution designed to improve energy efficiency, help maintain an uninterrupted flow of electricity and enhance grid reliability,” said Per Haugland, head of the Grid Systems business within ABB’s Power Systems division.
“It will also facilitate future integration of wind power and other renewables, as grids get smarter.” “The robust design and flexibility of Static VAr Compensators will allow Oncor to continue to reliably operate the transmission grid in North Texas with less dependence on local generation,” said Oncor senior vice president Jim Greer.
“ABB worked hard to develop an electrical power solution that will keep pace with the North Texas area’s ever increasing power demands, while enabling the improvement of the local environment.”Oncor serves more than seven million customers in Texas and operates the largest distribution and transmission system in the state, with some 164,000 kilometers of distribution and 22,500 kilometers of transmission lines.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 120,000 people.