ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has won orders worth around $45 million from leading US utility Oncor, to provide electrical solutions that will increase transmission capacity, ensure grid stability and facilitate the integration of renewable power in Texas. The order was booked in the first quarter. ABB's flexible alternating current transmission systems (FACTS) will be incorporated into the Competitive Renewable Energy Zones (CREZ) program, which aims to increase the contribution of renewable energy in Texas by up to 18 gigawatts. Completion of the transmission systems within CREZ will allow energy customers in the region to benefit from one of the world's largest wind generation installations. ABB will design, supply, install and commission one static var compensator (SVC) and two series compensators (SCs). "These FACTS solutions will boost power capacity, support the integration of wind power in Texas and help improve grid reliability in the region," said Brice Koch, head of ABB's Power Systems division. "ABB has a strong track record of delivering environmentally friendly SVC and SC solutions around the world and we have a large installed base in the US, having executed several similar projects for Oncor." SVCs and SCs are part of ABB's family of FACTS technologies, which help enhance the capacity, reliability and flexibility of power transmission systems and facilitate the development of smarter grids. FACTS technologies allow more power to reach consumers with minimal environmental impact, lower investment costs and shorter implementation times than the traditional alternative of building new power plants and transmission lines. They also help address voltage and frequency stability issues and enable the transmission system to run more efficiently. ABB is a global leader in the growing field of FACTS, and has delivered more than 800 such installations across the world. Oncor serves more than seven million customers in Texas and operates the sixth-largest distribution and transmission system in the U.S., with a 190,000 kilometers of transmission and distribution lines. www.abb.com
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