2002-05-08 - ABB to supply power equipment to the first light rail line in Beijing
Beijing, China, May 8, 2002 – Transporting people swiftly in large volumes on public transportation systems is critical to the continued growth and future development of the capital city of China, Beijing, which will host the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. Presently it has only about 50 km of subway lines in operation, transporting about ten percent of its 12 million inhabitants each day - in the next few years, Beijing will build more than 150 km of new rail transit lines. ABB is part of this future development as a key equipment supplier. The latest order comprised 330 units of PowerIT medium voltage switchgear, type ZS1, supplied from its local Chinese factory in Xiamen.
In a city with eight million bicycles, 1,3 million motorcycles, and the number of automobiles increasing at a rate of 40 percent per year – the challenge is to further develop a modern and well-functioning rapid transit system based on metro and light rail links while minimising the impact to the environment. ABB’s switchgear will enable this vast system to operate with highly reliable and clean electric power. Rail lines require a power supply with particular safe equipment locations. ABB’s switchgear allows for highly compact designs with much lower maintenance requirements.
In the past years, railway transport and urban mass transit systems have become a top priority in the nation’s infrastructure development. Previous orders awarded to ABB Xiamen Switchgear Co. Ltd. includes a major contract to supply 33 kV gas-insulated switchgear to Guangzhou Metro Line #2 project and a similar one for the Xin-Min Line of Shanghai Metro.
ABB (www.abb.com) is a global leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering their environmental impact. ABB has some 152,000 employees in more than 100 countries.