Hitachi ABB Power Grids wins contract for 2GW Al-Dhafra solar project

Hitachi ABB Power Grids has been awarded a contract to supply large generator step-up (GSU) transformers, protection and telecommunication systems to China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) for the construction of the 2GW Al-Dhafra photovoltaic (PV) solar project in Abu Dhabi

Hitachi ABB Power Grids has been awarded a contract to supply large generator step-up (GSU) transformers, protection and telecommunication systems to China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) for the construction of the 2GW Al-Dhafra photovoltaic (PV) solar project in Abu Dhabi.

Once operational, the Al-Dhafra Solar PV IPP will be the world’s largest single-site solar power plant, using approximately 3.5 million solar panels to generate enough electricity for approximately 160,000 homes across the UAE.

Energy & Utilities recently reported that China’s Arctech had signed an agreement to supply trackers for the Al-Dhafra project.

Arctech received the order from CMEC, the EPC contractor for the Al-Dhafra project.

The Al-Dhafra independent power producer (IPP) project is being developed by a consortium of France’s EDF and China’s Jinko Power. The consortium was awarded the contract to develop the plant in July 2020.

The consortium subsequently awarded the EPC contract to CMEC in a deal estimated to be worth up to $1bn.

The Al-Dhafra PV IPP project, which had received a record tariff of $cents1.35/kWh, reached financial close in December 2020. Abu Dhabi utility Taqa and UAE clean energy firm Masdar will own 60 per cent of the project, with the EDF/Jinko Power consortium holding the remaining 40 per cent.

The Al-Dhafra IPP will be Abu Dhabi’s second major PV solar scheme.

In February 2017, the emirate awarded a contract to a consortium led by Japan’s Marubeni Corporation and China’s Jinko Solar to develop a 1,177MW PV solar IPP at Sweihan, the world’s largest single-site solar project. The Sweihan IPP was fully commissioned in June 2019. The PV solar panels for the project were manufactured by Jinko Solar.