ABB Power Grids said on Monday it has been awarded a project worth Rs 165 crore by IndianOil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) to ensure reliable grid connection at its Barauni refinery in Bihar.

The state-owned refiner aims to expand its crude oil processing capacity at the plant by 50 per cent to 9 million tonnes per annum in the next three years. This project will ensure power quality for its future operations there.

The technology pioneer is delivering its 220/33 kilovolt gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) substation which will assimilate power from the Bihar State Power Transmission Corporation Ltd and IOCL's captive generation plants and deliver it with efficiency to the Barauni refinery, critical for smoothly running the refinery's complex processing operations.

The GIS substation will also save space by as much as 70 per cent by virtue of its compact, robust and low-maintenance design.

In addition to this, ABB Power Grids is equipping the substation with its advanced substation automation and network management tools to control and protect IOCL's grid real-time and ensure maximum power availability.

It is also deploying its power transformers (125 mega volt amps) to further enhance grid safety and efficiency.

"This order from IOCL is a milestone in our grid integration projects that will allow us to play a more active role in meeting future energy demand with our pioneering technology solutions," said N Venu, Managing Director of ABB Power Grids in India.

"As India's oil demand is expected to reach six million barrels per day by 2024, refineries will have to prime themselves ahead of time to avoid potential supply disruptions. We are proud to have been chosen by IOCL as a trusted partner to augment its mission-critical power infrastructure for the future," he said in a statement.

The project is part of ABB Power Grids' broader strategy to penetrate the industrial segment and highlights its long-standing leadership in digital integration, grid connections and power quality.

ABB Power Products and Systems India Ltd is the standalone legal entity of ABB's Power Grids business in India, and is listed on the NSE and BSE as POWERINDIA.