Re Agreement

ABB Ltd
20 September 2000



ABB Corporate Communications, Zurich      ABB Investor Relations, Zurich
Thomas Schmidt                            Pia Irell
Tel: [phone]                       Tel: [phone]
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ABB in consortium to run South Australia's power transmission network

Zurich, Switzerland, September 20, 2000 - Global technology group ABB said today
it is part of a consortium selected by the State of South Australia to operate
and maintain a high voltage power transmission network in the State under a
long-term lease agreement.

The consortium members are ABB, Queensland Electricity and Transmission Company
(operating gas Powerlink), and Macquarie Bank Limited.  The consortium will
operate and maintain the power transmission network - including some 5,500
kilometers of transmission lines - under the existing ElectraNet name. ABB said
it is a 19.5 percent owner of ElectraNet SA, corresponding to an equity
investment of US$10 million.  The transmission system is the last electricity
asset to be privatized in South Australia.

ABB said the consortium will form a new operating company to be called
Transmission Asset Management and Services Co. (TAMSco). TAMSco will take on an
eight-year operation and maintenance contract, with an option to extend the
contract another five years.  ABB added it expects to see both a good return on
its investment as well as sales of equipment and services from its Power
Transmission and Power Distribution segments.  ElectraNet expects to invest more
than US$100 million to expand and upgrade the network over the next four to five
years in areas related to ABB's businesses.

Earlier this month, ABB won a US$150 million order to design, maintain and
upgrade the Telecommunications Access Network in five of Australia's States and
territories.  The order was placed by Telstra, Australia's largest data and
telecommunications company.

The ABB Group (www.abb.com) serves customers in power transmission and
distribution; automation; oil, gas and petrochemicals; building technologies;
and in financial services.  With novel IT applications, tailored software
solutions, growing eBusiness and a fast expanding knowledge and service base,
ABB is building links to the new economy.  The ABB Group employs about 160,000
people in more than 100 countries.