The AI boom places new demands on power grids. When ABB now delivers 27 synchronous condensers to an AI data center in Texas, Elektromontage is part of the supply chain. Our task is to manufacture custom-built connection boxes designed for currents of up to 1,700 amperes.

ABB has received its largest order to date for synchronous condensers with associated flywheels. A total of 27 units will be delivered to VoltaGrid in Texas, with the purpose of stabilizing and maintaining the frequency of the power grid surrounding a rapidly growing AI data center. As a supplier to ABB since 1995, Elektromontage has been commissioned to deliver 22 connection boxes with components that control and protect the systems surrounding the synchronous condensers.

“This is a major project that will run for about a year. We are dealing with 1,700 amperes, so we use copper busbars and custom-adapt current transformers with specific ratings. We design and build connection boxes with protection, surge arresters and capacitors, as well as measurement equipment that sends information to the control room,” says Stefan Grönlund, Project Manager at Elektromontage.

Current levels of 1,700 amperes place the project in the heavier segment of industrial electric power. This places high demands on dimensioning, thermal management and installation precision, especially in systems designed to help keep the power grid stable during large and rapid power fluctuations.

Few players can handle orders like this

Stefan explains that only a limited number of companies globally have the capacity to deliver at this scale, which is why the project has ended up in Sweden.

“We have built a lot for the U.S. market before and have strong expertise in this narrow segment. Designing and manufacturing components with unique configurations is something we are very used to.”

Synchronous condensers used to be more common in power grids, but the need declined when large synchronous generators in facilities such as nuclear power plants provided the stabilizing function. As energy systems change, with a growing share of wind and solar power, the need is once again increasing for technical solutions that can provide rotational inertia and frequency stability.

“Data centers like this are often powered by natural gas to make them as environmentally efficient as possible when such large amounts of energy are required in a small area,” he says, continuing:

“The energy sector is expanding, and the AI boom is part of that. We have invested in larger facilities, more staff and new machines in order to meet the increased demand in the market.”