UPDATE 1-AMSC gets $445 mln contract from China's Sinovel

* Says to begin shipping 1.5 MW components in early 2011

* Says contract to span a period of 30 months

May 17 (Reuters) - American Superconductor Corp (AMSC.O), which makes electrical systems for wind farms and turbines, said it received a $445 million multi-year contract from China's Sinovel Wind, the world's third largest wind turbine maker.

Under the contract, the company will begin shipping core electrical components for Sinovel's 1.5 megawatt (MW) wind turbines in early 2011, for a period of 30 months, American Superconductor said in a statement.

The company said it is currently shipping 1.5 MW core components to Sinovel, which accounts for about 75 of its revenue, under a contract that extends through early 2011.

China is leapfrogging global wind power rankings with a combination of aggressive growth targets and domestic support. [ID:nSGE64C0JY]

Industry research firms expect China to increase its total amount of grid-connected wind power from about 19,000 MW at the end of 2009 to about 130,000 MW by the end of 2015.

Shares of American Superconductor were up 2 percent at $31.50 in pre-market trading Monday. They closed at $30.96 Friday on Nasdaq.

(Reporting by Divya Sharma in Bangalore; Editing by Prem Udayabhanu) ((divya.sharma@thomsonreuters.com; within U.S. +1 646 223 8780; outside U.S. +91 80 4135 5800; Reuters Messaging: divya.sharma.reuters.com@reuters.net))