AREVA’s Transmission and Distribution (T&D) division has signed a turnkey contract to build a high-voltage substation in Saudi Arabia for an Independent Water and Power Project (IWPP) lead by the Shuqaiq Water and Electricity Co. The 67-million euro contract was awarded by the project Engineering Procurement Contractor, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. 

The Jizan region in southern Saudi Arabia is undergoing considerable economic development resulting in an increased demand in electricity. To secure the region’s supply, the government is boosting its generation capacity by building a new power plant and water desalination unit in Shuqaiq, near Jizan. AREVA T&D’s 400/132-kV substation will feed the plant’s 850-MW of electricity onto the 400-kV transmission grid ensuring a steady flow of electricity to local industries.

Under the contract, AREVA T&D will also supply associated control and protection systems as well as engineering, erection and commissioning works.

The substation is scheduled for delivery by April 2009.

Michel Augonnet, Executive Vice-President of AREVA T&D’s Systems Business Unit said: “We were awarded this contract against fierce competition due to our optimal project delivery time, recognized reactivity and longstanding expertise.”