Aggreko, a global leader in temporary power and temperature control, last week played a crucial role in supporting the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Aggreko was responsible for the supply of power to both the National Stadium and the International Broadcast Center, which was responsible for transmitting the ceremony to an estimated 4 billion viewers worldwide as well as the nearly 100,000 people in the stadium.

Under the contract to supply temporary power to the Olympics, Aggreko will provide 140 MW of power across 37 Olympic venues in three cities: Beijing, Qingdao and Hong Kong. The power, enough to supply more than150,000 homes, will be provided by generators located at each venue and distributed through more than 290 miles of cable and 2,000 distribution panels.

Aggreko is employing around 200 staff on the contract, many of whom have been recruited in China, to install, maintain and operate the equipment.

“Watching the ceremony was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and the enjoyment of the spectacle was enhanced by knowing that Aggreko was a key part of the infrastructure,” said Rupert Soames, Aggreko CEO. “We now look forward to supporting the games themselves in 37 venues across China and in Hong Kong.”

Aggreko plc is a global leader in the rental of power, temperature control and oil-free compressed air systems. Aggreko North America, based in Houston, is No. 13 on the RER 100.