As per the order, ABB will be responsible for upgrading two Static Var Compensators (SVC) at the Albanel substation, located about 500km north of Montreal.
The substation is said to provide fast-acting reactive power compensation for the 735kV power transmission network. The upgrades will be completed by 2016.
ABB Power Systems division head Claudio Facchin said, "This upgrade will significantly extend the life of the SVCs and substantially reduce electrical losses."
SVCs are said to be part of the company’s family of FACTS (flexible alternating current transmission systems) technologies that improves the capacity and flexibility of power transmission systems.
According to ABB, SVCs are helpful during fluctuations in the voltage and current of an electric grid, allowing more electricity to flow through the transmission system while maintaining network safety and stability.
FACTS solutions have been developed to allow more electricity to reach consumers through the existing transmission network.
