ZURICH, Switzerland,
July 11, 2011
(Press Release) -
ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has won an order to supply process electrification and power distribution infrastructure as well as equipment for a new pulp mill in southwestern Uruguay.
The Montes del Plata pulp mill is a joint project of Finnish pulp and paper manufacturer, Stora Enso, and the Chilean forestry company, Arauco. At an estimated cost of $1.9 billion, it is the largest private investment ever made in Uruguay..
The mill is scheduled to be begin production in the first quarter of 2013, and will have an annual capacity of 1.3 million metric tons of bleached eucalyptus kraft pulp sourced from Montes del Plata's own forestry plantations. The project includes the pulp mill, a deepwater port and a biomass-based power generation plant to convert waste from pulp production into electricity.
"ABB has delivered and managed large, complex electrification projects for the pulp and paper industry for more than 40 years," said Veli-Matti Reinikkala, head of ABB's Process Automation division. "Our advanced technology can also help customers efficiently tap into local renewable energy sources, ensuring this state-of-the-art mill has a reliable, self-sufficient electrical supply."
ABB will provide power distribution and process electrification for the pulp mill, including the main transformers, 33 kilovolt (kV) power distribution system and control system, smart motor control switchgear, all motors and frequency converters. ABB will also deliver the sectional drive systems for the two pulp dryer machines, including hardware and software engineering, as well as on-site services for customer training, start-up and commissioning.
ABB's Process Automation division delivers industry specific solutions and services for industrial automation and plant electrification. These solutions help customers meet their critical business needs in the areas of energy efficiency, operational profitability, capital productivity, risk management and global responsibility. Available industry specific solutions include process control, instrumentation, analytics, safety, plant optimization, telecommunications, energy management and power distribution.
ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 124,000 people.
