Qatar General Water & Electricity Corporation (Kahramaa) has awarded a contract to Germany’s Siemens Energy for the supply of transmission equipment worth $800m.

The contract covers phase nine of Qatar’s overall programme to expand the power distribution network. Siemens will supply substations and switchgear valued at $680m, as well as associated cables valued at $120m to Kahramaa.

The order encompasses the supply of 15 turnkey substations for the 400kV, 220kV, 132kV, 66kV and 11kV voltage levels, including transformers, control and protection equipment, as well as the extension and modification of existing substations.

The construction of a new 400kV substation to connect the Qatar network to the GCC grid is included in the work. Siemens will supply gas-insulated switchgear, protection equipment and equipment for online condition monitoring.

The substations will be distributed across the whole country, including the cities of Doha, Dukhan and Maesaieed. A total of 400 kilometres of 66 and 132kV high-voltage cables are also part of the order. Completion is scheduled for mid-2012.

In 2006, Siemens received the most recent major order from Kahramaa worth $932m for phase seven of Qatar’s upgrade programme.