ZURICH, Aug 20: Electrical engineering group Asea Brown Boveri AG said on Wednesday that China's Three Gorges Project Development Corp had told ABB it would receive an ``important part'' of the orders for the 14 generators that are part of the huge Three Gorges dam.

``Our customer - China's Three Gorges Project Corp - has informed us that ABB will receive an important part of the orders for generators,'' an ABB spokesman said in response to inquiries.

``This is the only equipment ABB has been bidding for,'' the spokesman added.He added that China would announce details of the order in the next few days and further comment from ABB was not possible until then.

Started in 1993, the Three Gorges dam is the world's largest hydroelectric project and involves 14 generators and turbines.The project is due for completion by 2009 and is expected to cost about 200 billion yuan ($24.1 billion).

The total value of the 14 generators and turbines has been estimated at around $800 million with the value of the generators roughly half or some $400 million.Reports from China has said that ABB was chosen to supply eight generators, but ABB declined to comment on this.

ABB is among several groups that have bid for contracts.ABB does not produce turbines so it combined in a consortium with Anglo-Norwegian group Kvaerner ASA .

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.