American Superconductor Corporation (NASDAQ: AMSC) Tuesday announced that the company’s high temperature superconductor (HTS) wire will be utilized in a massive transmission project, called The Tres Amigas Project.
The three U.S. power grids–or “Interconnections”–are known as the
Eastern Interconnection, the Western Interconnection and the Texas
Interconnection (also known as the Eastern Reliability Council of
Texas, or ERCOT). Power transmission within these three power grids is
accomplished primarily utilizing alternating current (AC) power
transmission lines.
Power transfer between any two of the
Interconnections, however, can only be accomplished through special
power electronic conversion stations. This is commonly achieved by
first converting AC power in one grid to DC as an intermediate power
form at a substation, then reconverting from DC back to AC before
reaching the adjacent grid. This, in effect, synchronizes power flows.
While there are several relatively small bilateral “DC Links” existing
today between two Interconnections, all three Interconnections have
never been united by one system.
The Tres Amigas renewable energy market hub will be a multi-mile,
triangular electricity pathway of Superconductor Electricity Pipelines
capable of transferring and balancing many gigawatts of renewable power
between the three Interconnections. Superconductor Electricity Pipelines comprise transmission-level direct
current (DC) superconductor power cables powered by AMSC high
temperature superconductor (HTS) wire and high-powered voltage-source
AC/DC power converters.
Similar to highway rotaries used
for traffic flow control, multiple power transmission lines from each
of the Interconnections will feed power into and out of the Tres Amigas
SuperStation through multiple AC/DC converters, each connected by DC
superconductor cables. Tres Amigas, which will be a balancing
authority, will help ensure the efficient and reliable flow of power
from multiple renewable generation sources in all three power grids to
customers across a wide area of the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
The Tres Amigas Project, was announced Tuesday in Albuquerque by New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. The project focuses on uniting America’s three power grids for the first time and is expected to enable faster adoption of renewable energy and increase the reliability of the U.S. grid.
Phil Harris, CEO of Tres Amigas, LLC, originally developed the concept for the Tres Amigas SuperStation. Harris was formerly the CEO of PJM Interconnection, which serves 14 states and is the world’s largest transmission balancing area with over 240,000 megawatts under management. “To truly open up the market for electricity generated from renewable sources of energy,” said Harris, “we must enhance transmission in the United States. Tres Amigas will serve as a renewable energy market hub by connecting all three of America’s power grids to enable the transfer of green power from region to region. The system will also add a new dimension of reliability and security for U.S. power supplies.”
The Tres Amigas SuperStation will act as a power market hub, enabling the buying and selling of electricity between the nation’s three Interconnections, which is not possible today. Wind, solar, hydro and geothermal renewable energy sources that do not currently have access to transmission lines and/or customers will be able to tap into multiple markets through the Tres Amigas SuperStation. For example, regions rich in solar energy will be able to buy electricity at night, when the sun is not shining, from regions rich in wind energy. As a merchant transmission system, Tres Amigas will charge a fee for usage of the power hub.
The Tres Amigas renewable energy market hub will be constructed in Clovis, New Mexico, a location that has access to all three of the nation’s power grids. New Mexico’s State Land Office already has granted Tres Amigas, LLC the right to lease 14,400 acres (22.5 square miles) of land in Clovis for this system. Tres Amigas, LLC is now in the process of filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for a declaratory order that transmission lines that connect to Tres Amigas from ERCOT will not come under the jurisdiction of FERC and that Tres Amigas can be operated as a merchant transmission entity.
AMSC’s Participation in Tres Amigas
“Tres Amigas will utilize the latest in power grid technologies,” Harris continued. “We require gigawatt-scale underground cables and power conversion systems that can serve as access points for each of America’s Interconnections, making Superconductor Electricity Pipelines a logical fit for the Tres Amigas SuperStation. The same can be said for American Superconductor. With its power grid experience, expertise in transmission planning, and global leadership in superconductor technology, AMSC is well equipped to help us make the vision of Tres Amigas a reality.”
Following the project’s approval, AMSC is expected to provide transmission planning services, superconductor wire and the superconductor cable system for the project. AMSC intends to partner with some of the industry’s leading superconductor power cable and system component companies to manufacture the cable system to AMSC’s specification.
“This is a tremendous opportunity to help unify the United States power grid and achieve the nation’s renewable energy goals,” said Greg Yurek, founder and chief executive officer of American Superconductor. “The time has come to utilize the latest technologies to not only balance renewable energy flows to get more clean electricity to customers, but also to increase the reliability and security of our power grids. Tres Amigas will help achieve these important goals.”
AMSC also has acquired a minority equity interest in Tres Amigas, LLC for $1.75 million in cash and AMSC stock. AMSC will hold one of four seats on the Board of Directors of Tres Amigas.
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