How to Improve the Efficiency, Capacity, Reliability and Resilience
of the Electric Power Grid with ACCC
®
Conductor
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ACCC
®
Conductor News - May 2020
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100,000 Kilometers of ACCC
®
Conductor Installed at over 800 Projects in 52 countries
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Quick Update:
There are currently
28
active ACCC Conductor installations underway and start dates for
27
additional ACCC Conductor installations scheduled. Why? Because the ACCC Conductor offers the ability to improve the efficiency, capacity, reliability and resilience of the electric power grid, worldwide.
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Anything
but
Normal
For many of us, change can be very disconcerting, but quite often change benefits everyone in the long run. While Covid, social protests, and politics are outside the scope of this message, “improved efficiency” in nearly any endeavor usually offers benefits that we all can enjoy. Case in point: In previous years, the efficiency of the transmission wires was generally not a first-tier project design criteria. Any improvement in electric power grid efficiency resulting from a transmission project was generally an afterthought. Sure, the efficiency of
generation
was considered because more efficient generation reduced operating costs. And, on the demand side using more energy-efficient appliances reduced consumer costs as well as reducing the need to invest in new sources of generation.
In recent years, regulators, policy makers, consumers, project financiers and major utilities have recognized that improved efficiency in the transmission system (and in the wires themselves) is a worthy design objective. Increased electric system efficiency has not only reduced operating costs and the price of delivered power to the consumer, but also reduced fuel consumption and associated GHG emissions.
Globally, there has been a major push in this direction. For instance, the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, USAID and others are now funding transmission projects not only to support economic development, and lower costs to consumers, but also - and specifically - to reduce GHG emissions by improving transmission line efficiency using the ACCC Conductor. In the U.S., a number of projects are also being given preference by project planners, based on the High-Performance Conductor's ability to improve efficiency and reduce GHG emissions.
Recently, FERC initiated a rule making docket on transmission incentives that focuses on consumer benefits that a transmission project provides. And, we expect that the range of benefits considered for the consumer will move beyond reliability to include emissions and other cost reductions.
As we look forward to learning more about the next generation of FERC’s project incentives and ROI adders, it isn’t hard to imagine that transmission system efficiency will become an increasingly important part of the New Norm, for the benefit of all. Change can be good.
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Arizona Public Service Completes
ACCC
®
Conductor Installation in Tempe, Arizona
With the support of the
Sturgeon Electric Company
, Arizona Public Service
APS
completed a 69 kV reconductor project in Tempe, Arizona. APS selected 904 kcmil Lubbock size ACCC Conductor to replace 795 kcmil AAC Arbutus conductor. The ACCC Upgrade increased line capacity from ~850 to 1600 amps without the need to modify or replace the existing steel mono-poles and lattice structures.
Prysmian - General Cable
supplied the ACCC Conductor with E3X coating and Preformed Line Products (
PLP
) provided ACCC Hardware. Sturgeon Electric used
Wagner Smith
tensioners, pullers and sheave wheels during the installation. CTC Global’s Master Installer, Ismael Dones, provided on-site training and support. APS, a subsidiary of Pinnacle West Capital, is the largest electric utility in Arizona with 4,000 MW of generating capacity, serving over one million people in 11 counties.
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SCE Completes ACCC Conductor Installation in California
With the support of
PAR Electrical Contractors
, Southern California Edison (
SCE
) recently completed the first section of their Pardee to Pastoria 220 kV reconductor project near Grapevine Lebec, California. SCE selected 714 kcmil Dove size ACCC Conductor to reduce thermal sag and improve clearances compared to the 666 kcmil Mystic size
ACSS conductor ACCC replaced.
Prysmian - General Cable
supplied the ACCC Conductor for this project and
Burndy
provided hardware. Southern California Edison is one of California’s largest utilities serving more than 14 million people in a service territory of approximately 50,000 square miles. This is SCE’s 4
th
successful ACCC Conductor installation with several others underway and upcoming.
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NV Energy Completes their 16th ACCC
®
Conductor Installation in Nevada
NV Energy
selected 1949 kcmil Lapwing size ACCC Conductor for their new Wild Horse to Comstock Meadows 120 kV transmission line near Reno, Nevada.
Prysmian - General Cable
supplied the ACCC Conductor and
Burndy
supplied hardware.
Summit Line Construction
supported the installation along with CTC Global’s Master Installer, David Pearce. The ACCC Conductor was installed on new H-frame and mono-pole structures over moderately hilly terrain.
For more than 150 years, NV Energy has provided safe and reliable energy to more than 1.4 million customers and over 56 million visitors every year. Their industry leading service - during times of extreme weather - and ongoing projects to support growth and reliability have helped Nevada build a strong economy. CTC Global is proud to support NV Energy's efforts.
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CTC Global Coronavirus Update
Since late February, CTC Global has been working to adapt our domestic and international operations to the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our objective from the beginning has been to keep team members safe while maintaining the ability to respond to customer needs.
CTC continues to work closely with our suppliers, manufacturing partners and local health officials during this challenging situation and our operations in the U.S., China, and Indonesia are active. While we have implemented appropriate safeguards and, in some cases are working remotely, we continue to accept new orders, and are actively manufacturing, testing and shipping product.
Due to travel restrictions, our Field Service Department has also implemented virtual training and field support. All 28 active ACCC Installations remain underway. Our Engineering Team is also supporting customers in the design phase via teleconferencing and webinars.
Please let us know how we can help you, and please stay well.
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ACCC Conductor is currently reducing CO
2 emissions by over 2.6 million metric tons per year -
the equivalent of removing over 600,000 cars from the road
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CTC Global's Conductor Comparison Program CCP™ Software is Available Online
CTC Global is pleased to announce that our highly regarded
Conductor Comparison Program
(CCP™)
software is now available online. The new
web-based version
has all the features found in the Excel version, which has been replaced and will no longer be supported. The new version is designed to make it easier to use, and it also has some new features. Having CCP online will make it easier to keep it up-to-date with new wire files and other data, and to add improvements as they are made. Users will always know they have the current version every time they log in. CCP is also compatible with tablets.
Registration to use CCP requires only a valid email address and password. Users may also use CCP as a guest however, saving and export features are only available to registered users.
Thank you for using our CCP. We welcome your feedback. For technical support, please contact
[email protected]
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Looking for ACCC
®
Conductor Hardware?
Check out our Supplier Parts Database
CTC Global added a new Hardware Supplier Parts Database to our website. The database will help you find all of the hardware components you need to install
ACCC
®
Conductor. The database shows which hardware manufacturers offer the parts you might need in your particular region while offering many options.
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Free Engineering Manual
To help Transmission and Distribution planners, engineers, policy makers, grid operators, technicians and others take full advantage of the
ACCC
®
Conductor's attributes,
CTC Global
has published a 250 page Engineering Manual.
It offers a very comprehensive set of design guidelines, case studies, figures and facts about conductors and composite materials, and includes links to additional resources and FAQ's
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Check out CTC Global's Blog
In addition to our monthly newsletter and social media posts, CTC Global also posts articles on the Company's
BLOG SITE
. If you haven't checked it out, please do when you have free time. You will find an interesting array of project details, industry trends and efficiency discussions and much more. We also do our best to respond to posted comments.
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Follow CTC Global on LinkedIn
We hope you find our monthly newsletter informative, but realize you may not have time to read 1,000 e-mails every week. If you'd like to only receive periodic announcements about major
CTC Global
and ACCC® Conductor activities please consider following us on LinkedIn. To access our LinkedIn page please click:
CTC Global LinkedIn
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Follow CTC Global on Facebook
As most of you know,
CTC Global
has completed well over 750 ACCC
®
Conductor projects in more than 50 countries with the help of several authorized conductor and hardware manufacturing partners along with many great installation crews and contractors.
For those of you that would like to stay more closely abreast of our activities, with a little light-heartedness thrown in from time to time, please consider following us on Facebook. To access our Facebook page, please click:
CTC Global Facebook
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Follow CTC Global on Twitter
For up to the minute news about
CTC Global
, the ACCC® Conductor, ACCC Installation Projects and other industry trends, news, and announcements please consider following CTC Global on Twitter. To do so, please click:
CTC Global Twitter
or look for us
@CTC_ACCC
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Follow CTC Global on YouTube
You may have already seen a number of
CTC Global
ACCC
®
Conductor videos over the years that were posted on various YouTube pages. In an attempt to provide you with easier access we created a YouTube page. To access it, please click:
CTC Global YouTube
or visit the
Video Library
on CTC Global's Website
www.ctcglobal.com
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CTC Global is Hiring
We're dedicated to providing our customers with the highest quality products by employing, developing, empowering and retaining the most energetic and talented employees. At CTC Global we value our employees highly and understand that the company's success is the sum of the success of every individual in the organization.
CTC Global is an equal opportunity employer, provides a drug-free workplace, free of discrimination and harassment, and offers a comprehensive benefits package to its full-time employees. Additionally, CTC has proudly taken the
Veteran hiring pledge
to affirm our commitment to actively hire veterans of the U.S Armed Forces. For information on a challenging and rewarding position at CTC Global, please contact our HR department directly at:
[email protected]
or
https://www.ctcglobal.com/careers/
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CTC Global proudly works with top-tier manufacturing partners worldwide
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ACCC
®
Conductor is an internationally patented and trademark registered product of CTC Global Corporation. The ACCC Conductor is manufactured in association with 34 qualified and licensed international stranding partners. If you are interested in the ACCC Conductor, please contact CTC Global to make sure your supplier is authorized to produce and deliver ACCC Conductor in your area. Thank You.
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CTC Global, Inc.
2026 McGaw Avenue Irvine,
CA 92614 Phone: +1 949.428.8500
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