Bahrain Financial Harbour Holding Company (BFHHC) has awarded Sumitomo Corporation a BD2.78-million (BD7.36 million) contract for the procurement, assembly, installation, testing and commissioning of a second 66 kV substation to be built this year at the Bahrain Financial Harbour (BFH) complex. According to the terms of the agreement, Sumitomo Corporation, one of Japan’s largest trading firms, will supply the new city substation plant in collaboration with Japan AE Power Systems Corporation.

A separate contract, estimated at approximately BD1.4-million ($3.71 million) will soon be awarded to a civil works contractor for all civil, electrical and mechanical works required to house the plant.

This new substation, to be constructed at the landmark $3-billion project, will be dedicated solely to meet the complex’s electrical power needs. With a maximum load capacity of 48 MVA, it will double BFH’s total power capacity, ensuring abundant and uninterrupted supply to the entire residential, commercial and entertainment components of the development.

Kiyoshi Matsui, general manager, Sumitomo Corporation Bahrain, said: “As a company devoted to supplying highly advanced technologies for infrastructure and construction projects all over the world, we are happy to bring our expertise to the kingdom in collaboration with Japan AE Power Systems Corporation, a joint venture of Hitachi, Fuji Electric and Meidensha and a world leader in power transmission, substation and distribution systems.”

The substation, which will be adopted by Bahrain’s Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) upon completion, is being built on a turnkey basis and is fully financed by BFH, which will pay for its design, supervision, construction, outfitting, testing and commissioning. EWA has also been actively involved in the design phase, providing assistance to the design consultants of the substation and subsequently approving the final design, while EWA’s Projects Directorate will also monitor the construction of the project thus assuring a smooth transfer process upon the substation’s completion. Located on the western part of the development across from the Dhow Harbour, it is expected to cost over BD4.5 million and is scheduled for completion by the first quarter of 2011.

Eric Fotiadis, chief development and coordination officer, BFHHC, said: “Ample and uninterrupted power supply is crucial to the operations of the businesses making BFH their home; therefore this second substation has always weighed in heavily in our development planning. Sumitomo Corporation and Japan AE Power Systems Corporation are among the world leaders in their fields, and they have assured us that the plant which will be installed at BFH will be of the highest quality and reliability. This has always been our intention to work with the most reliable companies in the world.”