Under the contract, Siemens will supply, deliver, install, test and hand over the 400/220/33-kV grid substation and components, including gas-insulated switchgears, 500MVA and 100MVA transformers, reactors and all other supporting technology. The grid substation will connect the new Mirfa Power Plant with the TRANSCO network. TRANSCO is a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA), the owner of Abu Dhabi’s power generation and transmission grid.
“As Abu Dhabi’s population grows and its various industries develop and expand, supplying efficient and reliable power transmission systems becomes crucial,” said Dietmar Siersdorfer, CEO of Siemens Energy Middle East. “Executing the grid substation at Mirfa is an important step towards achieving this goal. Moreover, this agreement underscores our long-standing relationship with TRANSCO and the trust placed in Siemens technologies.”
The Mirfa contract follows a deal with TRANSCO announced in October last year to build the Shamkha 400/132/33 kV substation in Abu Dhabi on a turnkey basis. Siemens was also contracted by the same company in 2011 for the construction of the 400kV Mahawi substation.
“Economic diversification and demographics are driving the development of the power sector in Abu Dhabi and the region,” said Wolfgang Braun, Head of Siemens Power Transmission Middle East. “Siemens’ advanced technological expertise, on-time project delivery and its knowledge of the region and its challenges have helped cement its position as a reliable partner and innovative solutions provider.”
Total electricity consumption in Abu Dhabi increased 10 percent to 43,250 gigawatts per hour in 2011 compared to the prior year, according to the latest data on the topic from the Statistics Centre Abu Dhabi. The domestic sector accounted for the largest share of total electricity consumption at 30.7 percent, followed by the commercial sector at 28.8 percent. The emirate’s increasing power and water demand is largely driven by a population of more than two million growing at an average annual rate of 7.7 percent.