Despite hesitation from highly conservative Utilities, CTC Global’s “Advanced ACCC® Conductor” literally created the “reconductoring” industry and put “Advanced Conductors” on their radar.
Twenty years ago, when the ACCC® Conductor was first introduced, CTC Global recognized the need to increase the electrical transfer capacity of the world’s electric power grid. Grid congestion – the inability for the wires to access and deliver the least expensive / cleanest sources of generation – cost consumers billions of dollars every year. Sagging powerlines were also blamed for starting horrific wildfires, destroying thousands of homes, and causing blackouts that cost society billions more.
Steel reinforced aluminum ACSR conductors have been the technology of choice for transmission lines for over 100 years. Increasing a line’s capacity generally required larger, heavier conductors placed on larger structures built on larger foundations. Increasing the capacity of an existing ACSR transmission line meant tearing everything down and starting over, or “rebuilding.”
The new ACCC® Conductor with its greater strength, lighter weight and lower sag enables utilities to build new lines with fewer and/or shorter less expensive structures, reduce capital costs, and greatly improve line capacity and efficiency. CTC Global’s ACCC® “Advanced Conductor” also enables “reconductoring” projects. The ACCC® Conductor allows utilities to rapidly increase transfer capacity – using existing structures – with minimal permitting challenges at far lower costs and timeframes than conventional rebuilding.
Prior to its successful deployment, as expected, there were questions and concerns. In response, CTC Global and many key customers, test labs, universities, and industry groups spent tens of millions of dollars testing the ACCC® Conductor and hardware components, develop proper installation methods, and prove its outstanding performance and unrivaled longevity.
Here are a few examples:
In 2006, after reviewing test data compiled over several months, American Electric Power (AEP) completed a trial line on a 138 kV project in Texas. With lessons learned, AEP went on to complete seven additional ACCC® Reconductor projects over the next few years. At that point, after reviewing several technical options and completing more testing, AEP selected the ACCC® Conductor to double the capacity of two existing 345 kV transmission lines. These ACCC® Reconductoring projects were completed while the lines remained energized. In addition to keeping the project costs down and doubling line capacity, the use of ACCC® Conductor on these two 120 circuit mile projects reduced line losses by 300,000 MWh per year. This not only freed-up 34 MW of wasted generation capacity, it also reduced CO2 emissions by 200,000 metric tons per year (the equivalent of removing 42,000 cars from the road).
In Europe, in collaboration with the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENSTO-E), Elia (the owner of the 150 / 380 kV system in Belgium) established a plan to increase the load transfer capacity of critical circuits in the integrated overhead transmission system from approximately 2,000 amps to 4,000 amps. With experience using ACCC® Conductor dating back to 2009, Elia’s management team approved the use of high-capacity conductors on several circuits being upgraded as priority reinforcement of the 380-kV transmission system in the early 2020’s. Prior to implementation, the ACCC® Conductor was subjected to rigorous testing conducted by independent test laboratories. The program included various electrical, mechanical, and thermal tests according to international standards as well as Elia’s technical specifications on high-capacity conductors and accessories. The major reconductor project also included a new 380 kV connection between the coast and the existing 380 kV backbone grid. This addressed several major needs which included a connection to the growing offshore windfarms in the North Sea and the improved interconnection capability with the United Kingdom.
In Bangladesh, PGCB (Power Grid Company of Bangladesh) selected the high-capacity ACCC® Conductor for several dozen reconductor and new line projects. Not only does PGCB recognize the social benefits of delivering more power, more efficiently, they - and their project funders such as the Asian Development Bank - recognize the efficiency benefits from an environmental standpoint. In the last six years PGCB has completed more than 70 ACCC® Conductor installations representing over 40,000 kilometers of installed wire.
In Indonesia, demand for affordable electricity has continued to grow. However, coal remains the dominant fuel source, and building new power plants has become increasingly challenging. To help deliver more power and reduce transmission lines losses (to free-up generation capacity otherwise wasted), PLN has installed over 20,000 kilometers of ACCC® Conductor to upgrade their 70 kV, 150 kV, and 500 kV transmission lines.
While more than 1,100 ACCC® Projects have been completed in 65 countries, CTC Global’s ACCC® Conductor has enabled cost effective and quick reconductoring projects and proven itself as a key technology in helping utilities meet their electrification and sustainability goals.
For more information please visit www.ctcglobal.com