ABB To Deliver Three Compressor Stations for Natural Gas Pipeline in Poland; Order Valued At More Than US$ 200 Million is ABB's Second for Pipeline Linking Russia and Germany.

Business Editors

ZURICH, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 25, 2000

ABB, the global technology group, said today it has signed a contract to deliver another three compressor stations to the Yamal project - the natural gas pipeline between Russia and Germany. The value of the order is more than US$ 200 million.

The contract was awarded by EuRoPol GAZ S.A., of Poland, a joint venture formed to build and own the Polish part of the pipeline, and PHZ Bartimpex S.A. of Poland. The joint venture partners of EuRoPol GAZ S.A. are RAO Gazprom of Russia, the state-owned Polish Oil &Gas Company of Poland, and Gaz-Trading S.A. also of Poland.

ABB will build three gas compressor stations equipped with GT10 industrial gas turbines from ABB ALSTOM POWER, pressure reducing systems to transport the gas through local networks as well as flow metering facilities. The pipeline, the longest in the world, is designed to transport natural gas more than 4,000 kilometers, from the Yamal peninsula in Western Siberia through Belarus to Poland and Germany.

The order is the second won by ABB for compressor stations along the Polish sector of the pipeline. The first order for two stations was awarded in 1998, with one of the stations turned over to the customer in December 1999. The orders are part of a long-term cooperation agreement between ABB amd Gazprom signed in 1998.

ABB (http://www.abb.com) is a global technology company serving customers in power transmission and distribution; automation; oil, gas, and petrochemicals; industrial products and contracting; and in financial services. Power generation customers are served by the joint venture ABB ALSTOM POWER. The ABB Group employs about 170,000 people in more than 100 countries.