Under the contract, which is a part of the Caithness to Moray transmission project, ABB will set up a subsea link connecting Caithness to Moray.
Featuring more than 100 miles of underground and subsea cable, the subsea link will transmit power from renewable sources to the northern parts of Scotland.
ABB will design, engineer, supply and commission a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) system, which will run between converter stations at Spittal in central Caithness and Blackhillock, near Keith, in Moray.
Scheduled to be completed by 2018, the project is a part of an investment program in power transmission infrastructure to support the transition to lower carbon electricity generation and boost supply security.
SSE chief executive Alistair Phillips-Davies said: "The new Caithness to Moray contract will make sure hundreds of workers on-site will get a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work and reflects our commitment to being a responsible employer.
"It is one of several actions SSE is taking to make a difference, including being the first FTSE 100 company to be awarded the Fair Tax Mark."
