ABB to Improve Power Supply and Reliability in Brazil

ABB has signed a contract worth about $20 million with Furnas – Centrais Elétricas S.A. to supply electrical systems that will enable existing alternating current (AC) lines to transmit higher levels of power to the densely populated Southeast of Brazil. The installation is located close to Brasilia, Brazil’s capital. The order was booked in the third quarter of 2018.

Brazil is the largest electricity market in Latin America, and most of the generation capacity comes from hydropower. The country has an extensive transmission and distribution network. Power is generated by hydro plants located in the northern and western areas of the country and by wind farms located along the east coast. It is then transmitted over long distances to urban load centers located in the southeast.

This north-south interconnection helps optimize the use of both hydro and wind energy, as power can flow in both directions. It also enhances reliability and quality of power supplies.

“ABB has been a long-standing partner in helping develop Brazil’s power infrastructure,” said Patrick Fragman, Head of ABB’s Grid Integration business unit, a part of the Power Grids division. “This latest FACTS power quality installation will enhance the availability of power and improve reliability for consumers in Brazil’s capital.”

Series compensation technologies are part of ABB’s family of Flexible Alternating Current Transmission Systems (FACTS) technologies, which boost transmission capacity while improving power stability. ABB is a pioneer and a market leader, having delivered more than 800 FACTS installations around the world.