Re Contract

ABB Ltd
23 March 2004



ABB to power the 'Eighth Wonder of the World'



Technology will provide reliable electricity supply to two artificial islands

Zurich, Switzerland, March 23, 2004 - ABB, the leading power and automation
technology group, said today it has signed a contract worth $30 million with the
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) for a substation and heavy-duty
gas-insulated switchgear to deliver electrical power to two man-made islands
dubbed the 'eighth wonder of the world.'



'We are very pleased to help DEWA keep pace with the rapidly increasing demands
for power in the United Arab Emirates,' said Peter Smits, head of ABB's Power
Technologies division. 'ABB's advanced substation and switchgear solutions will
ensure reliable delivery of power to this high-profile project.'



Visible from space, the palm-shaped Jumeirah and Jebel Ali islands will house
dozens of luxury hotels, exclusive villas and apartments, marinas, shopping
malls and recreational facilities when completed in 2007. The artificial islands
will be made of about 100 million cubic meters of rock and sand, and increase
Dubai's shoreline by 120 kilometers.



Under the terms of the contract, ABB will design, manufacture, erect, test and
commission a turnkey switching station, and supply a 132 kilovolt gas-insulated
switchgear, protection panels, electrical and mechanical auxiliary equipment,
and 20 kilometers of 132 kilovolt XLPE cable. ABB will also take care of all
necessary civil works, and complete the contract in 12 months.



ABB is the worldwide leader in the field of transmission and distribution
substations, with more than 2,500 substations delivered in the last ten years.



ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable
utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering
environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100
countries and employs about 115,000 people.


                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange