COMMENT:

ABB's new order in DR Congo lights up the continent

subscriber | 17 February, 2010

ABB's signing of a $107million with SNEL (Société Nationale d’Électricité), the national power company in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is one of the clearest signal since democracy was restored, that at least stretch between the Katanga province up to the Inga power station is getting back to some level of stability - at least that it is stable enough for ABB to take on the project.

The refurbishment of what is one of the longest electricity transmission systems in the world also means that a big step will be taken in linking up Sub-Sahara's powerlines in a joint grid.

The 1,700 kilometer system was in fact built by ABB in 1982 and was back then the world’s longest transmission line.

The company was never payed by then Zairean government led by dictator Mobutu Sese Seko but ABB (then Asea) had wisely enough an export guarantee in place (meaning that Swedish tax payers in the end had to pick up part of the bill.)

 In other words history has caught up with ABB.