ABB, a power and automation technology group, has won substation orders worth around $100 million from Powergrid, India's national transmission utility, to boost capacity and help improve grid reliability.

ABB is responsible for the design, supply, installation and commissioning of 765/400 kilovolt (kV) substations at Agra (Uttar Pradesh), Wardha (Maharashtra), Bilaspur and Seoni (both Madhya Pradesh), and of a 400/220 kV substation at Palakkad (Kerala). The projects are expected to be completed by 2011.

"These substations for the national grid are an integral part of the country’s plans to develop an ultrahigh-voltage transmission network, improving transmission efficiency and addressing growing demand for electricity," said Peter Leupp, head of ABB's Power Systems division.

The equipment to be supplied includes a range of circuit breakers; current transformers and capacitor voltage transformers, used for monitoring current and operations; surge arrestors; protection systems; control and relay panels; as well as the latest substation automation.

The substation projects are expected to enhance the inter-regional power transfer capacity to around 37,000 megawatts by 2012. An extensive 800kV and 1,200kV ultrahigh-voltage system is expected to form the backbone of the transmission network and facilitate the transfer of power across India.