Bangalore

HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Limited (HRRL), a joint venture between state-run Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and the Government of Rajasthan, has awarded a project worth more than Rs 100 crore to Hitachi ABB Power Grids - listed on the Indian stock exchanges as ABB Power Products and Systems India Ltd. 

According to JCN Newswire, Hitachi ABB Power Grids will deliver a 220/66-kilovolt (kV) substation to assimilate power from the state grid and deliver it smoothly and efficiently to the Barmer refinery. Gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) with its compact and low-maintenance design will be installed, enabling the refinery to conserve space.

To maximize power availability the substation is equipped with advanced substation automation systems to control and protect HRRL's grid. It is also deploying industry-leading power transformers, to further enhance power infrastructure safety and efficiency.

N Venu, Managing Director, Hitachi ABB Power Grids in India, said, "We are very pleased to be lending support to this project which will further propel infrastructure development, economic revival and job creation in the State. India is the third-biggest consumer of oil and refiners need to prime themselves ahead of time to avoid potential supply disruptions. Reliable power is indispensable for that and we are glad to have been chosen as the trusted partner by HRRL."

He added, "With this project, as a company, we have taken another step forward in meeting future energy demand with our pioneering technology solutions.”

This project is part of Hitachi ABB Power Grids broader strategy to penetrate the industrial segment and highlights its long-standing leadership in grid connections and power quality. Recently, Hitachi ABB Power Grids India received an order worth Rs 120 crore to deliver its transformers to the Government of India’s electric locomotive manufacturer, Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW), for the production of 400 passenger and freight locomotive engines.

The infrastructure development will help to power HRRL’s new refinery and petrochemical project in the Barmer district of Rajasthan. With a total processing capacity of nine million metric tons per annum, this project is aimed at producing clean fuels and feedstock for textile, packaging, and petroleum industries. It is expected to create about 1,000 direct jobs upon completion, and up to 40,000 indirect jobs during construction, while contributing to Rajasthan's economic development.