Transmission and Distribution: AREVA awarded major contract by Dubai utility

AREVA’s Transmission and Distribution (T&D) division has won an order worth approximately €200 million for eleven high voltage Gas-insulated (GIS)* Substations from Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA), strengthening its partnership with this key customer and further consolidating its leading position in the region.

This order is the largest ever for AREVA T&D in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and will contribute to the development and improvement of the 132 kV electrical distribution network in order to keep up with Dubai’s rapid urban expansion.

The substations will be delivered during the first semester of 2011.

This contract was secured thanks to AREVA T&D’s long-standing relationship with DEWA and the division’s track record for timely delivery of large-scale projects.

Philippe Guillemot, Chairman and CEO of AREVA T&D, commented: "We are honored to have been awarded this prestigious contract. Thanks to our robust local set up and close proximity to DEWA, AREVA T&D is able to provide a solution that exactly matches DEWA's expectations. This new success further strengthens AREVA T&D's presence in the UAE."

* An electrical substation is a part of the network used in the transmission and the distribution of electricity. It mainly allows to increase the electrical voltage coming from the power plant ready for transport and then decrease it for use by the private or industrial end-consumer. Gas-insulated substations are particularly compact as the technology used allows for optimized insulation and equipment size, thus reducing the impact on the landscape.