ABB (Zurich, Switzerland) won a $50.0 million order to install a new high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission system between the eastern and western power grids of the US. Under the terms of the contract, ABB will design, build and install the system connecting the two grids as part of a joint project between two US utilities: Basin Electric Power Cooperative (Bismarck, ND) and Black Hills Power (Rapid City, SD). The HVDC system will increase the capacity for high-voltage power exchange between the two grids by 200MW, and will be used by both utilities to expand service to their respective markets.
“The Rapid City Tie demonstrates how HVDC transmission systems can rapidly provide a utility customer with needed capacity,” said Richard Siudek, executive vice president and head of the ABB Utilities division. “In this project, we are putting ABB capabilities to work to deliver a cost-efficient system to Basin Electric Power Cooperative in just 19 months.”
