ABB (www.abb.com) has opened a new high-voltage gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) manufacturing facility in Tangerang, on the outskirts of Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta — the fourth facility that the company has set up in the country during the last three years as part of a $30 million investment plan.

The other units manufacture high-voltage air-insulated switchgear, low-voltage switchgear and medium-voltage switchgear.

Indonesia is the largest economy in South East Asia. The demand for electricity is expected to grow at around 6.9% per annum, and the government has formulated a plan to support this growth by building up to 56GW of generating capacity by 2027.

The country is also strengthening its electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure.

ABB’s new 1,000m² manufacturing unit, which will make 170kV GIS units, is on a campus that already houses a medium-voltage manufacturing unit, plus a production facility that produces high-voltage air-insulated switchgear and equipment.

Claudio Facchin, president of ABB’s Power Grids division, said: “This latest expansion underlines ABB’s on-going commitment to Indonesia.

"The facility will support the country’s efforts to strengthen its power transmission infrastructure, enhance grid reliability and help meet the growing demand for electricity.

"The move is in line with our global footprint approach and our philosophy of locating production units close to our customers.”