ABB extends automation and electrical scope for Rio Grande LNG Trains 4 and 5
Published by Jessica Casey,
Editor
LNG Industry,
ABB has been awarded additional orders by Bechtel, extending its scope to deliver integrated automation and electrical solutions for Trains 4 and 5 of the Rio Grande LNG (RGLNG) facility in the US. Building on its role in Phase 1, ABB will deploy an automation platform that supports safe, efficient, and reliable operations as the plant moves toward its full production capacity of up to 30 million tpy. The orders were booked in 3Q25 and 4Q25.
The facility in Brownsville, Texas, is being developed by NextDecade Corp., with Bechtel undertaking construction under an EPC contract. ABB is already delivering integrated solutions for three liquification trains at RGLNG.
The scope for RGLNG Trains 4 and 5 includes deployment of an integrated control and safety system comprising ABB AbilityTM System 800xA® distributed control system, emergency shutdown, and fire and gas systems. An electrical controls and monitoring system will provide unified visibility of the plant’s electrical infrastructure. These two overarching solutions will come together in a common automation platform to support process and power control for the full life cycle of RGLNG, helping the facility to optimise production and operate more efficiently. ABB will also supply medium-voltage drives, synchronous motors, transformers, motor controllers, and switchgear.
“The extension of our scope at Rio Grande LNG is a strong endorsement of our integrated approach to automation and electrification,” said Per Erik Holsten, President of ABB’s Energy Industries division. “Our solutions are helping to deliver one of the world’s most advanced LNG export facilities, enabling safe and efficient operations that support energy security through a reliable supply to the global energy market.”
The orders also include local equipment buildings – two for Train 4 and one for Train 5 – housing critical control and electrical systems in prefabricated modules to streamline installation and commissioning on site. The solutions that are being delivered to Bechtel use ABB Adaptive ExecutionTM – a methodology for capital projects that optimises engineering work and reduces delivery timelines. For RGLNG this included standardised servers and cabinets, cloud infrastructure, engineering tools and network OEMs.
Phase 1 of RGLNG is currently under construction and expected to begin operations in 2027. Operations at Train 4 is expected in 2030 and Train 5 in 2031.
Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/liquefaction/26032026/abb-extends-automation-and-electrical-scope-for-rio-grande-lng-trains-4-and-5/