ALSTOM wins 40 million contract for high voltage DC
transmission link between Sweden and Denmark

ALSTOM has won a
40 million contract
to increase the capacity of the Konti-Skan high-voltage direct
current (HVDC) undersea transmission system between Sweden and
Denmark.

The contract is in two parts, one with Swedish transmission
network operator Svenska Kraftnät and other with its
Danish counterpart ELTRA, and covers the the replacement of the
converter stations at each side of the Kattegat, at Vester
Hassing, Denmark and Lindome, Sweden.

The existing 275MW link, which allows the two countries to
exchange power, is nearing the end of its design lifetime and
ALSTOM will replace the 1960s mercury arc scheme with the
latest thyristor-based technology, increasing the power to
380MW. 

Under the turnkey contracts, ALSTOM, via its Transmission
and Distribution Sector, will design, construct and supply
equipment for the two converter stations, whose components
include converter transformers, control systems, thyristor
valves, DC smoothing reactors, switchgear, harmonic filters and
capacitor banks.

The project follows the recent completion of another HVDC
scheme, the back-to-back HVDC interconnector at Sasaram in
India, which completed the nation's national grid.

ALSTOM's Transmission and Distribution Sector President,
Philippe Joubert, said: 'After our successes in India and the
USA, this HVDC link clearly puts us as a front runner in power
electronics applications. This opens the door for more
successes in the promising market of grid interconnection. We
are delighted to have the confidence of such innovative
companies in this market area.'

For further information and photographs, contact:


Anna Newnham, trade press manager, Transmission &
Distribution  on +33 (0)1 41 49 21 11 or emailanna.newnham@tde.alstom.com
www.tde.alstom.com

ALSTOM is the global specialist in energy and transport
infrastructure. The Company serves the energy market through
its activities in the fields of power generation and power
transmission and distribution, and the transport market
through its activities in rail and marine. In fiscal year
2001/02, ALSTOM had annual sales in excess of 23
billion and employed 112,000 people in over 70 countries.
ALSTOM is listed on the Paris, London and New York stock
exchanges.

ALSTOM's Transmission and Distribution Sector (T&D),
following the incorporation of the Power Conversion business
finalised on April 1 2002, employs 33,000 people and is an
active player around the globe. T&D designs, manufactures
and supplies a complete range of equipment, systems and
services for all stages in the transfer of electricity, from
the generator to the end-user.