ABB wins $11.6 million order from Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant in China

Its joint venture in Xiamen, ABB Xiamen Switchgear Co., Ltd. (CNDMX), serves as a general contractor for the project. The contract includes $ 7.5 million of MV switchgears and $ 4.1 million of LV switchgears, which will be provided by CNDMX and ABB Xiamen Low Voltage Equipment Co., Ltd. (CNILX) respectively. Under terms of the contract, the first batch of 93 panels will be delivered by January 2008 and the remaining 377 units by January 2009. All the switchgears will be used in No. 3 and No. 4 generating units of QNPP.

QNPP confirms its trust on ABB's state-of-the-art products and nuclear power plant competence by awarding this repeat order. The cooperation between the two sides dates back to 10 years ago when CNDMX and CNILX supplied products to No. 1 and 2 generating units of QNPP Phase II project. This repeat order will put an end to China's dependence on imported MV and LV switchgears in its nuclear power plants. As a result the milestone contract turns the two ABB companies in Xiamen into China's first manufacturers to design, produce and deliver switchgears for nuclear power plants.

"We're so honored to continue our service for Qinshan nuclear power project," said Peter Leupp, chairman and president of ABB in China. "Based on the past 10-years of high-efficient communication and close cooperation with Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant through scheduled technical seminars, operation and maintenance experiences, we're confident of providing more reliable, lower cost and longer life-span switchgears to the project."

Located in East China's Haiyan of Zhejiang Province, Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant is China's first self-designed, constructed and managed nuclear power plant. It had generated total electricity of 2.6 TWh by December 15, 2005. It is reported that China will build at least 32 nuclear power generating plants from 2006 to 2015. The capacity of nuclear power generators in the country will reach 40,000 MW by 2020. This will bring more opportunities for CNDMX and CNILX who have passed the full auditing for the design, manufacturing, testing and service of nuclear power plant switchgears.

"We will by all means help Qinshan Phase II expansion project develop into a world advanced nuclear power plant," added Leupp.

Besides Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant, CNDMX and CNILX have also participated in the construction of Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant in Jiangsu. They have sharpened their competitive edge in project management, design and testing with their successful execution of these nuclear power plant projects.

Xiamen is one of the most important cities for ABB in China with five joint venture companies. Established in 1992, ABB Xiamen Switchgear Co., Ltd. is ABB's first joint venture in China. It has now grown into one of the largest medium switchgear and circuit breaker manufacturers in the world. In November of 2005 the company celebrated the birth of its 100,000th VD4 circuit breaker. ABB Xiamen Low Voltage Equipment Co., Ltd. is the first enterprise in China's electric industry to achieve low voltage CCC certificate. Together with six other ABB companies in China CNDMX and CNILX were listed among "2005 China's top 100 electric enterprises" by China's influential industry magazine "Electric Age."

ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impacts. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 104,000 people worldwide. ABB has a full range of business activities in China, including manufacturing, R&D, sales and service, with 8,500 employees, 25 joint ventures and wholly owned companies, and an extensive sales and service network across 30 cities. To know more about ABB, visit www.abb.com.cn.