Technology and automation group ABB has won an order worth $23 million from Eskom, South Africa's leading electric utility, to supply an electrical balance of plant (eBoP) solution for the Ingula pumped-storage hydropower plant, currently under construction on the border of the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal provinces in South Africa.

The Ingula hydro plant will have the capacity to generate 1,333 MW of hydropower to be integrated into the South African grid. The plant will be fully operational in 2014, reports indicate.

As part of the turnkey eBoP solution for the power plant, ABB will be responsible for the design, engineering, supply, installation and commissioning of the project. Key products to be supplied include the service and auxiliary transformers, dry-type distribution transformers and medium- and low-voltage switchgear.

Recently, Eskom reported it has signed two export credit agency loans for a total of 171.7 million euros (US$217.3 million) to fund parts of the Ingula hydro plant and the Medupi thermal plant, wire services reported.

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