Re Contract

ABB Ltd
5 February 2001


ABB Media Relations                    ABB Investor Relations
Thomas Schmidt                         Switzerland: [phone]
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           ABB wins US$ 34-million order to upgrade London Underground
  Project allows transit authority to replace old station with new, clean power

Zurich, Switzerland, February 05, 2001 - ABB says it has won a US$ 34-million
order to improve the power supply to the London Underground, allowing the
transit authority to replace electricity from an old power station with
electricity from sophisticated and clean power sources.

Under the terms of the contract, ABB will prove five static var compensators
(SVC's) to help the London Underground outsource its power requirements. SVCs
control the voltage and stability in power distribution grids, which in turn
contributes to a more efficient power system. ABB said the SVC technology
provides for more ecoefficient, compact and safe solutions.

The work ABB is carrying out will facilitate closure of the old London
Underground power station at Lots Road, Chelsea, which dates back to 1905.  The
company says several deregulating and privatizing energy markets around the
world - from California to Europe and into Asia - are looking at new sustainable
technologies like SVC, high-voltage direct current (HVDC) Light and alternative
energies like microturbines and combined heat and power to feed their existing
grids with clean power.

ABB says the London Underground order is part of a larger project to overhaul
the area's power distribution network, including cabling and switching.  ABB
will partner with a consortium of Balfour Kilpatrick Limited and Seeboard
Trading Limited for these modification, where new transformers will provide
lower voltage supplies for lighting, lifts, escalators, ticket barriers,
communications and control systems.

ABB says the first phase of installation is due for completion in mid-2002 and
the second phase will be completed in early 2003.

ABB (www.abb.com) serves manufacturing, process and consumer industries,
utilities, the oil and gas sector and infrastructure markets, with 160,000
employees in more than 100 countries.