ABB has received a contract to supply a high power rectifier system and two static var compensator (SVC) systems for the new SeverCorr, LLC steel mill to be built in Columbus, Miss.

The new mill will use a DC electric arc furnace powered by ABB to produce approximately 1.5 million tons of rolled products annually. The high-power rectifier (ABB Thyribloc^(R)), rated at 2 x 80,000 amp, 1,000 VDC, will convert AC utility power to DC as the primary power input to the arc furnace. The plant will primarily supply the automotive manufacturing industry.

The project also includes two SVC systems, one 160 Mvar EAF compensation system (Arc-Comp(Arc-Comp^(R)) and one 100 Mvar rolling mill SVC. The SVC systems will provide the reactive power compensation to meet utility power quality requirements.

ABB will provide its newly developed AC 800PEC equipment control platform incorporating Arc-Comp^(R), the first application of this technology in North America. The AC 800PEC is a high-end controller belonging to ABB's AC 800 automation family. It combines the high-speed control requirements of power electronics applications with low-speed process control tasks usually carried out by separate PLC units.

"We are delighted to have been selected to provide our equipment and technology for the first DC electric arc furnace to be built in the United States in many years," said Andre Steinberg, ABB's North American Sales Manager for High Power Rectifiers. Steinberg noted that ABB has completed more than 80% of the DC electric arc furnace installations in North America with 100% market share worldwide since 1998.

Severstal Group, Russia, holds majority interest in SeverCorr LLC.