Switzerland’s ABB has been awarded a contract from the Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority (GCCIA) to provide maintenance for equipment and systems at the Gulf interconnection grid’s newly constructed substations.

The two-year contract, which is worth $8.3 million, will aim to optimise the grid’s reliability through regular maintenance and provide technical and emergency assistance.

Substations covered under the agreement include Al-Fadhili, Ghunan, Salwa and Ras al-Qurayyah in Saudi Arabia, Al-Jasra in Bahrain, Al-Zour in Kuwait and Doha South in Qatar. ABB built each of the seven substations included in the agreement.

When complete, the interconnection project will link up the six states included in the GCC. The scheme will be carried out in three phases.

The first phase, known as the GCC north grid, will connect Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar. 

Phase two will involve the connection of the independent systems of the UAE as well as Oman (the south grid). This will be executed separately of GCCIA.

The third and final stage will involve the connection of the north and south grids.