Acquisition

ABB Ltd
8 February 2000

               ABB Acquires U.K. Power Network Service Company

           ABB continues expansion in deregulated U.K. power market

Zurich, Switzerland, February 8, 2000 - ABB, the global technology company, said
today it has acquired a leading U.K. power network service company. The company,
East Midlands Electricity Contracting (EMEC), was acquired from East Midlands
Electricity, the U.K. distribution company owned by London-based PowerGen plc,
one of the world's largest independent power generators. The terms of the
purchase were not disclosed.

EMEC employs 500 engineering staff, including 150 specialist network engineers,
and has annual revenues of more than $60 million. The company provides a variety
of distribution network services, including high-voltage plant and cabling,
substation installation, and specialist street lighting installation and
maintenance. The company's security systems and domestic activities are not
included in the deal. The acquisition includes a three-year framework agreement
to provide network service support to East Midlands Electricity.

As part of ABB, the company will also be active in maintenance, restoration and
repair, inspection and diagnostics, asset planning, refurbishment, retrofit, and
total asset management. The company will service both high-voltage power
transmission grids as well as power distribution networks.

The new company will enable ABB to broaden its offer of complete solutions for
electricity networks. The acquisition also builds on ABB's strengths in
technology and experience in the utility business to create new growth
opportunities as power grid operators in the deregulated U.K. market continue to
outsource non-core activities.

ABB  is a global technology company serving customers in
power transmission and distribution; automation; oil, gas, and petrochemicals;
building technologies; and in financial services. Power generation customers are
served by the joint venture ABB ALSTOM POWER. The ABB Group employs about
165,000 people in more than 100 countries.