Re Contract

ABB Ltd
11 October 2000


ABB Corporate Communications, Zurich   ABB Investor Relations
Thomas Schmidt                         Switzerland: [phone]
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ABB wins US$ 30-million order for London indoor substation
                                                         
National Grid City Road project to reinforce London's electricity supply

Zurich, Switzerland, October 11, 2000 - ABB, the global technology company, said
today it has won an order worth about US$30 million from the National Grid to
build a new indoor high-voltage (HV) substation at City Road in London, U.K.

Using ABB's compact gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) technology, the new
400-kilovolt substation can be housed inside a brick building designed to
minimize its aesthetic impact on the local urban environment.  The substation
is a key part of a program by a local utility, London Electricity, to reinforce
the power grid serving the London area.

Under the terms of the contract, ABB will supply four GIS switchbays and
associated equipment together with a 240 MVA transformer and substation
protection and control systems. ABB is also responsible for the engineering
design and civil works as well as complete installation and commissioning.
Onsite work commences next year and the project is scheduled for completion in
the summer of 2003.

This is the second high-voltage substation order for London won by ABB this
year. In June, the company announced a US$ 80-million GIS substation order for
North West London and the City area.  ABB is also a part of a consortium to
upgrade the London Underground power distribution network and has won orders to
upgrade and reinforce power grids in several cities, most recently in Chicago,
U.S.

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.