Siemens has signed a Dh600 million ($163 million) turnkey contract with Transco (Abu Dhabi Transmission and Despatch Company) to build a 400 kV high voltage substation on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi.

The contract was signed by David Copestake, managing director, Transco, and Peter Fuchs, CEO, Siemens LLC.  Also attending the signing ceremony were Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, and Sheikha Lubna Al Qassimi, the UAE’s Minister for Economy.
The substation will provide electrical supply for the Saadiyat Island development.  Work on executing the project started at the end of last December with energisation expected to be completed in 2008.
The 27 sq km Saadiyat Island, lying 500 m off mainland Abu Dhabi, will be transformed into a tourism destination in three phases, with the final completion date set for 2018.
The substation will be the first of several projects and poses some unique challenges.  “One of our initial issues to solve will be the logistics of moving very large equipment to the island,” said Fuchs. 
The Siemens Power Transmission and Distribution Group (PTD), headquartered in Erlangen, Germany, is one of the leading global players in its market sector. 
With a worldwide workforce of about 27,500 and operations in more than 100 countries, PTD had sales of 6.5 billion euros in fiscal 2006.