France: Enedis, a France electricity distribution system operator, has renewed its framework agreement with ABB to continue upgrading the country’s power networks with SF₆-free medium-voltage switchgear.
The five-year agreement, effective from the third quarter of 2025 and extendable to eight years, strengthens the companies’ collaboration to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and modernise grid infrastructure. Financial terms were not disclosed.
ABB and Enedis first partnered in 2017 to phase out sulphur hexafluoride (SF₆), a gas over 24,000 times more potent than CO₂. Their joint work led to the first installation of SF₆-free air-insulated switchgear, Unisec V500, in 2021. The solution has since been validated and adopted across Enedis’ wider network.
Under the renewed framework, ABB will expand supply of its field-proven SF₆-free technology, allowing nationwide deployment to support France’s clean-energy transition. The partners will also enhance product eco-design, introduce take-back programmes for retired SF₆-based equipment, and pursue carbon-reduction and energy-efficiency targets.
As Europe’s electricity demand is expected to rise by 60 % by 2030, the collaboration reinforces the critical role of modern, low-emission switchgear in enabling grid resilience and sustainability.
Source: engineering.com
