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The Advanced Conductor™

January 2026

TOP STORY

The Grid at a Crossroads: Why 2026 Must Be the Year of Transformation

As we enter 2026, the electric power grid has emerged as both the backbone of modern society and one of its most critical vulnerabilities. Explosive growth in electricity demand - from AI data centers and industrial electrification to EV charging and climate-driven extremes - has collided with a transmission system built for a very different era. Around the world, governments and regulators are no longer debating whether the grid must change, but how fast. From the U.S. Department of Energy’s Transmission Acceleration initiatives to Europe’s Grid Action Plan and accelerating electrification across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, the global conversation has shifted decisively from planning to execution. Electricity demand is not waiting, and every year of delay deepens congestion, raises costs, and increases system risk.

This urgency is why Advanced Conductors and other Grid-Enhancing Technologies ("GETs") have moved to the center of grid-modernization strategies. Reconductoring with ACCC® Conductors has emerged as the fastest, most cost-effective way to add substantial transmission capacity within existing corridors, avoiding years of permitting delays while improving efficiency and resilience. CTC Global’s ACCC® Conductor has played a pivotal role in this transition, with more than 1,450 deployments worldwide demonstrating higher capacity, lower sag under extreme temperatures, and meaningful system-wide efficiency gains. As utilities face mounting pressure to deliver visible progress in 2026, the question has shifted from if Advanced Conductors should be used to how quickly they can be deployed. The grid stands at a crossroads - and the choices made this year will shape reliability, affordability, and energy security for decades to come. With five ACCC® Conductor core production facilities spread globally, and more than fifty authorized manufacturing partners CTC Global is proud to continue to support these objectives.

TRENDING NEWS

As Latin America accelerates its energy transition, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has made one reality unmistakably clear: without modern, high-performing transmission networks, the region’s energy potential cannot be fully realized. In its flagship Unlocking the Grid report and a recent high-level webinar on Advanced Conductors and smarter grids, the IDB highlighted how congestion, curtailment, extreme weather, and rising electricity demand are already limiting economic and environmental progress. Real-world examples from utilities such as AEP in the United States and EPM in Colombia demonstrate that reconductoring with Advanced Conductors can rapidly add capacity, improve resilience, and reduce environmental impacts - often without new corridors or outages.

As utilities search for “next-generation” conductors to meet rising demand, climate stress, and tighter operating margins, the market has become crowded with new claims and new terminology. What ultimately matters, however, is not marketing language but proven performance under real-world conditions - long spans, high temperatures, extreme weather, and decades of continuous service. This is where CTC Global’s ACCC® Conductor stands apart. As the original Composite-Core Conductor and the most widely deployed of its kind, ACCC® Conductor has moved beyond promise to proof, setting the benchmark for capacity, reliability, efficiency, and lifecycle value that defines what “next-generation” truly means for modern transmission systems.

The release of ASTM B987/B987M-25 marks an important inflection point for the transmission industry, arriving as utilities face unprecedented load growth, heightened reliability expectations, and growing pressure to reduce risk and improve performance. More than a routine update, the revised standard reflects a maturing composite-core market—one that is expanding in scope while also sharpening the technical guardrails that distinguish robust, proven designs from newer, more complex alternatives. As utilities increasingly rely on Advanced Conductors to modernize the grid, ASTM’s latest revision serves as both a framework for comparison and a reminder that long-term performance, materials science, and real-world experience still matter most.

As utilities around the world grapple with accelerating electricity demand, climate-driven stress, and the need to modernize aging infrastructure, the World Bank’s Utility Knowledge Exchange Platform (UKEP) is increasingly focused on solutions that deliver results now - not years from now. A recent UKEP webinar brought this reality into sharp focus, showcasing real-world transmission upgrades in both the United States and Bangladesh that demonstrate how Advanced Conductors are enabling rapid capacity expansion, improved resilience, and measurable efficiency gains within existing corridors. The session underscored a growing consensus among utilities: smarter, higher-performing conductors are becoming a cornerstone of grid modernization strategies worldwide.

FROM THE FIELD

16 ACCC^® Projects Recently Energized

97 ACCC^® Projects Under Construction

59 ACCC^® Projects Scheduled to Start

1,450+ ACCC^® Projects Completed

Paraguay’s state-owned utility, Administración Nacional de Electricidad (ANDE), has been steadily advancing a comprehensive transmission modernization program aimed at strengthening the country’s high-voltage network and supporting long-term economic growth. Central to this effort has been ANDE’s extensive adoption of CTC Global’s ACCC® Advanced Conductor Technology across key 220 kV corridors, where higher capacity, lower losses, and improved thermal performance are essential. By deploying ACCC® Conductor, ANDE has been able to significantly increase power transfer capability within existing rights-of-way, improve voltage stability, and reduce technical losses - often avoiding the need for new structures or expanded corridors. These projects form part of a broader strategy to reinforce Paraguay’s interconnected system, enhance reliability for growing urban and industrial loads, and ensure that the nation’s abundant generation resources can be delivered efficiently to demand centers. Together, ANDE’s program and its use of ACCC® Conductor illustrate how Advanced Reconductoring solutions are enabling faster, more cost-effective grid upgrades across Latin America.

UPCOMING EVENTS

CTC Global policy leaders will be in attendance at the NASEO 2026 Energy Policy Outlook Conference, held February 3–6 at The Fairmont in Washington, DC. This annual forum brings together state energy officials, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to discuss priorities shaping U.S. Energy Policy and Infrastructure Planning. The conference provides a valuable opportunity to engage in thoughtful dialogue on transmission planning, grid reliability, and the role of proven technologies in supporting state and regional energy objectives. CTC Global looks forward to participating in these discussions and connecting with colleagues focused on advancing a resilient and efficient power system.

CTC Global policy leaders will be in attendance at the NARUC Winter Policy Summit, taking place February 8–11 at the Westin Washington DC City Center. The Summit convenes state utility commissioners, regulators, and industry stakeholders to discuss key regulatory and policy issues affecting the nation’s energy and utility sectors. The event offers an important forum for thoughtful exchange on transmission planning, grid reliability, and cost-effective approaches to modernizing infrastructure. CTC Global looks forward to engaging with participants and contributing to informed discussions on the evolving policy landscape.

CTC Global invites attendees to connect with our technical experts at ELECRAMA, taking place February 22–26 at India Expo, Delhi. As the flagship showcase of the Indian Electrical Industry and the world’s largest standalone T&D exhibition, ELECRAMA brings together the full spectrum of solutions that power electricity from source to socket. With its unique blend of cutting-edge technology, equipment, and thought-leadership forums, the event provides an ideal platform to discuss how Advanced Transmission Solutions—such as ACCC® Conductors—are helping utilities boost capacity, improve efficiency, and strengthen grid reliability. We look forward to engaging with utilities, policymakers, and industry leaders shaping the future of India’s power system.

RECENT EVENTS

CTC Global was proud to serve as a Platinum Sponsor of TransTech India 2025, the country’s leading power transmission event hosted by Power Line magazine. We welcomed partners, customers, and industry colleagues in New Delhi as utilities, policymakers, developers, and technology providers gathered to discuss the future of the Indian grid. With rapid load growth and major transmission expansion underway, the conference provided an ideal opportunity to highlight how ACCC® Conductors were helping utilities across India boost capacity, reduce losses, and improve reliability. We were pleased to share the latest ACCC® Conductor Advancements and connect with the teams shaping India’s next decade of grid modernization.

RECENT REPORTS

The Inter-American Development Bank’s 2025 report, Unlocking the Grid, underscores that modern transmission infrastructure has become the critical bottleneck - and opportunity - for Latin America and the Caribbean’s energy transition. The study highlights rising congestion, delayed projects, and large-scale renewable curtailment as electrification and climate pressures accelerate, and it calls for faster, more flexible solutions alongside long-term grid expansion. Among its key recommendations are Grid-Enhancing Technologies, including Advanced Conductors, which can quickly unlock capacity within existing corridors. Proven solutions such as CTC Global’s ACCC® Conductor directly support this approach by increasing capacity, reducing losses, and strengthening resilience without the delays and impacts of building new transmission lines.

CTC Global proudly partners with over 35 conductor manufacturers. View All Partners

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