AREVA’s Transmission and Distribution division (T&D) was awarded its greatest contract ever, with Kahramaa, the Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation, as part of the Qatar Power Transmission System Expansion program and includes the turnkey delivery of 14 gas-insulated substations (GIS1) to develop and improve the network in the Doha region. The equipment is planned for delivery by the first quarter of 2010. The contract totals almost 500 million euros.

In addition to this historic win, the company was awarded a second contract, which includes the delivery of state-of-the-art technology to upgrade the National Control Center. The center, built by AREVA in the late 1990’s, represents the core of the country’s power transmission system.

These contracts were signed during an official ceremony in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, the French President Nicolas Sarkozy, His Excellency Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Industry of Qatar, Ms. Anne Lauvergeon, CEO of AREVA and Mr. Philippe Guillemot, Chairman and CEO of the group’s Transmission and Distribution division.

With a 20% market share in the region, AREVA’s activities have grown significantly over the past few years thanks to its recognized expertise. These strategic wins accompany the booming development of Qatar and secure power supply for both domestic and industrial end-users.

Anne Lauvergeon, CEO of AREVA, said: “We are honored to have been awarded this turnkey contract, the biggest ever for the T&D division. We are delighted that our leadership in the area of GIS is recognized, as well as the competitiveness of our customer-oriented solutions. These two wins will reinforce our leading position in the region and our presence in Qatar. “