ABB will contribute to a grid development plan being carried out by the Italian energy utility Terna. ABB will supply 13 autotransformers rated at 250 MVA and 400 MVA during the period 2008-2011. This large quantity corresponds to about a quarter of Terna’s current need for enlarging the grid.

The order was awarded after an international call for bids, in which the major domestic and foreign transformer manufacturers participated, for a total of 55 machines. The selection was made on the basis of strict technical and commercial specifications imposed by the strategic importance of the order.

Fabrizio Pangrazi of the ABB Power Products division, Terna’s account manager, said, "We were able to document the international framework agreement signed with suppliers of essential raw materials, such as copper and the special sheet steel laminations, which protects the customer from unexpected events that might impact delivery times."