ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has won a $70-million order for power equipment from State Grid Corporation of China for a new power link in northeastern China that will help the development of industry in the region.

The new HVDC (high-voltage, direct current) link will transmit 3,000 MW (megawatts) of power over 920 kilometers from Hulunbeir, in Inner Mongolia, to Shenyang in Liaoning province. The ABB order is part of a project with an estimated total value of $400 million.

“We are very pleased that State Grid Corporation has selected ABB for this portion of an important project to support the rejuvenation of Liaoning’s industrial base,” said Peter Leupp, head of ABB’s Power Systems division. “ABB has unrivalled experience in high-voltage direct current, with projects on every continent, on land and at sea.”

The new DC power transmission link will run in parallel to an existing alternating current (AC) link, creating a so-called hybrid transmission corridor with a higher capacity and greater reliability. The proportion of power lost as heat into the atmosphere will also decline as DC links have smaller losses than AC over long distances.

ABB will provide key components for the converter stations at each end of the link, to switch AC to DC and then back to AC again, as well as measuring equipment for the converter stations. The link is scheduled for commercial operation in December 2009.

ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs more than 110,000 people.