Leading power and automation technology group ABB announced an agreement to supply global fertiliser company Yara with a MNS® low voltage switchgear to be fitted at the company’s production plant in Porsgrunn, Norway.
The $25 million project will help Yara achieve the highest levels of safety and reliability, supporting the reliable distribution of power, improved control and more efficient operation at the plant which is equipped with more than 6,000 electric motors.
ABB said communications protocols are embedded within the switchgear optimising electrical distribution performance and condition based monitoring while providing detailed process and electrical information to plant operators in real time.
“As part of our Next Level Strategy, we are committed to work with our customers to continuously improve their productivity through the application of intelligent solutions realising the benefits of the Internet of Things, Services and People,” said Tarak Mehta, president of the Low Voltage Products division of ABB.
The MNS® low voltage switchgear would cover a distance of more than a kilometre and support another program Yara has initiated to increase production of fertilizer and calcium nitrate at the facility in Porsgrunn to 50,000 tons and 200,000 tons per annum, respectively. The project will take up to seven years to complete, with a total investment of $270 million.
ABB said the low voltage power distribution will be supplied from its low voltage systems unit based in Skien, Norway, and will be designed and manufactured for Yara’s specific requirements.
