HIGH PERFORMANCE CONDUCTORS FOR A LOW CARBON WORLD™ | |
Why Utilities Choose Modern ACCC® Conductors Over Legacy ACSS Conductors
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Introduction:
The electrical transmission industry has long relied on aluminum conductors reinforced by steel cores (ACSR) for energy distribution. While ACSS conductors emerged in the 1970s to address some limitations of ACSR, they still exhibit significant challenges, particularly related to thermal sag and line losses. The development of the ACCC® Conductor in the early 2000s marked a pivotal advancement, utilizing a hybrid carbon and glass fiber core to overcome these issues. This document explores the benefits of ACCC® Conductors compared to legacy ACSS conductors, highlighting their impact on efficiency, safety, and environmental sustainability.
Key Takeaways
- Ideal for Reconductoring: ACCC Conductors can replace existing ACSR and ACSS conductors without major infrastructure changes, streamlining upgrades and minimizing costs.
- Enhanced Efficiency: With lower line losses (25-40%), ACCC Conductors reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to sustainability goals and reducing consumer costs.
- Increased Strength and Flexibility: ACCC Conductors are stronger than steel cores, allowing for greater spans between structures, reducing construction costs, and improving design flexibility.
- Mitigation of Thermal Sag: The ACCC Conductor's composite core significantly reduces thermal sag, enhancing fires safety, reliability, and resilience.
Summary
The transition from legacy ACSS conductors to modern ACCC Conductors signifies a major leap forward in electrical transmission technology. ACCC Conductors effectively address the limitations of older systems by reducing thermal sag and line losses while enhancing overall strength and resilience. This not only promotes safer and more efficient power delivery but also aligns with the growing emphasis on sustainability within the energy sector. By adopting ACCC Technology, utilities can maximize capacity and lower costs, ensuring reliable service in an evolving energy landscape.
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CTC Global Appoints Theodore Paradise as Chief Policy and Grid Strategy Officer. | CTC Global, a leader in Advanced Conductors for the energy sector, has announced the appointment of Theodore Paradise as its Chief Policy and Grid Strategy Officer. In this newly created position, Paradise will spearhead efforts to engage key stakeholders and accelerate the deployment of efficient and affordable Advanced Conductors. With over two decades of experience in the energy industry, including roles at K&L Gates and Hexicon, Paradise is recognized for his expertise in transmission policy and energy regulations. CTC Global's CEO, J.D. Sitton, expressed enthusiasm for Paradise's leadership, highlighting the need for innovative solutions to modernize the North American transmission grid. | | |
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The Impact of Advanced Conductors on Electric Power Transmission Projects | As the demand for reliable and efficient electric power transmission escalates, the selection of conductors is pivotal for the success and cost-effectiveness of transmission projects. This article examines the implications of utilizing Advanced Conductors, focusing on ACCC® Conductors in contrast to traditional ACSR (Aluminum Conductor Steel Reinforced) conductors. We analyze various factors, including cost distributions, transmission capacity, installation considerations, and the broader economic impact associated with different voltage levels. The findings underscore the advantages of ACCC® Conductors in enhancing efficiency and reducing long-term operational costs, positioning them as a viable alternative for modern transmission infrastructure. | | |
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8 ACCC® Projects Recently Completed
97 ACCC® Projects Under Construction
130+ ACCC® Projects in the Queue
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CFE Completes ACCC InfoCore® Reconductoring Project in Mérida, Yucatán – México. | |
With the support of engineering company and contractor Sistindacema TMX and Contractors 16th De Diciembre and Grupo Constructor Toledo, the Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) initiated their 12th ACCC® Conductor installation in Mérida, Mexico. CFE selected Hawk size ACCC® Conductor for the double-bundled circuit 115 kV Lt “Caucel Potencia – Merida Poniente” transmission line to double the capacity of two of the four existing 4.9 km circuits without the need to replace or modify the existing steel monopole structures. Spans ranged from 126 meters to 320 meters in length.
ACCC® Conductor for the project, supported by CTC Global’s local representative, SEGAL, was provided by CTC Global’s authorized manufacturing partner Viakon and ACCC® Hardware was supplied by Preformed Line Products (PLP). Crews used TEMA equipment to pull in the new conductor. ACCC Master installers Ismael Dones, William Allen, and Ferney Carvajal provided training and support with Eduardo Reyna from VIAKON, and crews used CTC Global’s patented ACCC InfoCore® System to verify core integrity and confirm and document the installation’s success. This is the first ACCC InfoCore® System project launched in Latin America. For more information, please visit www.ctcglobal.com.
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2024 NARUC Annual Meeting and Education Conference | |
November 10-13, 2024 | Anaheim, CA
The Annual Meeting is NARUC's capstone event of the year, featuring a year-end summary from President Fedorchak, seminal topics across each utility sector, the installation of our new president, and special workshops. If you happen to be in town for this, please let us know as we would be happy to give you a tour of CTC Global's ISO / IEC certified production facility and test labs.
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November 11-14, 2024 | Raleigh, NC
Join us for The Grid of the Future™ Symposium, sponsored by the CIGRE US National Committee (USNC), from November 11–14, 2024, in Raleigh, NC. This year’s theme is "Technology for the 21st Century Electric Utility," featuring discussions on innovations in generation, transmission, distribution, smart grid technologies, and reconductoring. We are proud to announce that CTC Global is a silver sponsor of this event. Connect with peers and experts at networking events for the NGN and Women in Energy (WiE). We look forward to seeing you there!
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September 29-Oct 2, 2024 | New York, NY
Wildfires have dominated news cycles and disaster calendars over the last few years. Peter Brehm, CTC Global VP and Senior Advisor participated in a key panel session "The New Normal: A Look into the Energy Sector’s Toolbox of Wildfire Mitigation Actions," which discussed various tools to support wildfire resilience, such as technology benchmarking, incentivization, and investment (e.g., advanced conductors, and grid monitoring devices). CTC Global was proud to co-sponsor another highly productive NASEO meeting.
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October 7-9, 2024 | New Delhi, India
TransTech 2024 marked India’s premier trade show dedicated to power transmission, bringing together utilities, policymakers, and technology providers for a three-day exploration of sector innovations and trends. CTC Global’s Hitesh Mundhada, a featured speaker, emphasized the critical role of reliability in power transmission, showcasing the ACCC InfoCore™ system as a means to enhance this reliability. He pointed out the need to strengthen transmission infrastructure in response to the intermittent nature of renewable energy. Hitesh advocated for robust infrastructure development, underscoring the significance of HTLS conductors in facilitating reconductoring and reducing congestion, ultimately supporting a sustainable energy future.
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October 10, 2024 | Arlington, Virginia
The 2024 ACORE Grid Forum "Accelerating Solutions for Today’s Needs and Tomorrow’s Challenges," brought together grid experts, regulators, and leaders from the clean energy, storage, and transmission sectors in Arlington, Virginia. Attendees gained valuable insights into innovative grid solutions aimed at addressing increasing power demand, national security concerns, and the future of regional and interregional transmission planning.
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Maryland Clean Energy Summit | |
October 7-8, 2024 | Hyattsville, MD
The summit included a session on the Evolving Grid & Reliability. The lively roundtable discussion included key topics of Maryland's decarbonization goals, grid reliability, and the challenges and opportunities of offshore wind generation, improved transmission, electric vehicle use, and other electrification challenges. David Townley, from CTC Global and a roundtable panelist noted that offshore wind generation naturally gives rise to onshore electric grid congestion points as the wind-generated electricity must be delivered to onshore end-use loads. He highlighted that Advanced Reconductoring (replacing existing powerline conductors with advanced conductors using the existing transmission structures) could be installed quickly and very cost effectively to increase grid capacity and energy efficiency as well as enhancing grid resilience & reliability. The roundtable discussion was moderated by Jason Stanek, Executive Director of Governmental Services at PJM, and Mason Emnett, SVP of Public Policy at Constellation. CTC also had a table top display where there was a continuous stream of people inquiring about Advanced Reconductoring and Advanced Conductors.
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RECENTLY PUBLISHED REPORTS | | |
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Americans for a Clean Energy Grid: 2024 STATE OF REGIONAL TRANSMISSION PLANNING - Interim Report | The "2024 State of Regional Transmission Planning" report, authored by Zach Zimmerman and Rob Gramlich and sponsored by Americans for a Clean Energy Grid (ACEG), serves as an interim review of regional transmission planning processes. It highlights that many regions have begun reforms to improve long-term transmission planning, showing promise, although these efforts are still in early stages, making their ultimate impact uncertain. Additionally, regions yet to initiate reforms may see changes in 2025, as transmission planners will need to submit compliance plans with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's Order No. 1920 by June 2025. | | |
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On-Demand | Enhancing Transmission Capacity in Existing Rights of Way with ACCC® Conductor | Join us for an on-demand webinar reflecting on insights from the power transmission landscape, focusing on Advanced Conductors like ACCC® Conductors. You'll learn how these conductors can increase capacity by delivering more amps using existing structures, explore efficient utility installation and maintenance practices that enhance project completion and asset reliability, and understand how adopting ACCC® Conductors can give your utility a competitive edge in economic development opportunities. | | | | |
