The Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) in the State of Bahrain has awarded the ALSTOM Group a turnkey contract worth 30 million ECU (£20 million) to upgrade control centres for both electricity and water.

The Group will be responsible for the installation of three new control centres, which will monitor and control the electrical high and medium voltage networks, as well as the water transmission system. The project also includes a digital telecommunications network, telemetry equipment and water stations adaptation works.

The control centres will be equipped with Alspa EMP and DMP software, for which the Company is the world leader. The project aims at reducing MEW's operation and maintenance costs, by providing common technology for the 3 control centres. MEW's customer service will also be improved through the use of modern decision-making support tools, particularly for the electrical distribution control centre.

The new systems will be operational before the year 2000.

This new contract demonstrates the Company's long-standing commitment to the Middle-East control centre market, and follows several other major control centre projects in the region : Medinah in Saudi Arabia, Doha in Qatar, and Jahra in Kuwait. It also illustrates its capability to deliver complex and turnkey projects under tight dead-lines.