ABB receives UK onshore wind connection project

ABB, a Switzerland-based engineering company, has secured an order from Vattenfall to provide a connection and the associated power infrastructure for Pen y Cymoedd wind energy project in Wales, UK.

The 76-turbine and 228 megawatts (MW) wind farm being developed in South Wales is scheduled to be operational by 2016 and is expected to be largest onshore wind farm in England and Wales and one of the largest in Europe.

The company will design and construct two new substations linked by 9.2km of underground cable, as part of the deal.

The firm noted that it will supply equipment such as compact 132 kilovolt (kV) PASS (plug and switch system) hybrid switchgear and STATCOM (voltage source converter based reactive power compensation) units to support grid voltage stability.

ABB will also supply transformers to increase the voltage from 33 kV to 132 kV for sub-transmission and then to 400 kV for input into the national electricity transmission system.

In addition, the company will provide with IEC 61850 compliant substation automation, control and protection equipment for the substations.

ABB Power Systems division substations business head Oleg Aleinikov said the substations will help to integrate wind energy and boost power supplies to meet growing demand for electricity.

"They will also reinforce the transmission grid and help enhance reliability and efficiency," Aleinikov added.

Currently, UK has the installed capacity of about 10,000MW, of which 6,300MW has been generated from the wind energy.