ABB has secured a $36m contract from Aker Solutions to provide equipment for the world’s first subsea power distribution system from onboard the Asgard A floating vessel off the northern coast of Norway.

The company will provide drives and transformers to the electrical system which will transmit 15MVA and 189Hz of electricity from the Asgard subsea oil and gas field operated by Norway’s Statoil.

Upon completion, the system will transmit power over a distance of 43km, enough to meet the electric needs of 10,000 homes.

Head of ABB’s process automation division Veli-Matti Reinikkala said, "The distance and voltage requirement of this operation make it a milestone project for the oil and gas industry. ABB continues to build on its experience as the global leader in subsea electrification; our technology, project experience and engineering resources were crucial to winning this important order."