Crompton Greaves inks pact with Paraguay

Contract is for supply of 19 single and three phase transformers amounting to a total of 683.3 MVA, for expansion of the country's 220 kV electricity network

Avantha Group Company Crompton Greaves (CG) signed a contract with the state utility of Paraguay -Administracion Nacional de Electricidad (ANDE) for supply of 19 single and three phase transformers amounting to a total of 683.3 MVA, for expansion of the country's 220 kV electricity network.

Paraguay is one of the world'slargest exporters of electricity. Itexports to neighbouring Brazil and Argentina. CG has been present in South America for the past two decades.CG, which has a consolidated global manufacturing capacity of 95,000 MVA; 46,000 MVA in Asia, 31,000 MVA in Europe,and 18,000 MVA in North America, will manufacture these transformers in India and supply them in 3 lots. Spare parts, supervision of installation and commissioning, and on-site training, will also be provided.

This contract was won under a competitive international public bidding process. The Paraguayan grid has 1.3 million customers and approx 32,000 kms of distribution lines. It has beengrowing @ 4% per annum since 2009. This contract represents thestrengthening of 10% of ANDE's current transforming capacity. ANDE's grid also faces difficulty due to distribution losses which are amongst the highest in the region.

To assist in reducing those losses, and improving the grid's energy efficiency, CGrecently also won a contract for the manufacture, supply, and installation of 30,000 Smart Meters in that grid. As part of its global manufacturingcapacity, in the America's, CG has a greenfield power transformer plant and adistribution and medium power transformer plant with a combined capacity of10,000 MVA in Washington, Missouri, an 8,000 MVA Power Transformer facility in Winnipeg, Canada, and an Extra High Voltage (EHV) switchgear and mobilesubstation manufacturing facility in Sapucaia do Sul in the state of Rio Grandedo Sul, Brazil.

"CG's global expertise in powertransmission and distribution is now making its presence felt in the SouthAmerican region too. We have become a key player in their grid expansion andmodernization programme," said Avantha Group Company CG's CEO& Managing Director, Laurent Demortier.