Innovation At NYPA'S Marcy Energy Center Improves New York Transmission System.

Business Editors

MARCY, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 13, 2001

A pioneering power control project, the Convertible Static Compensator (CSC), at the New York Power Authority's Frederick R. Clark Energy Center has begun to increase the amount of electricity that can be moved reliably over existing transmission lines, a boon for the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) as the peak summer usage period approaches.

The NYISO announced Friday that the CSC will allow power flows through the Utica-Albany corridor of transmission to increase by approximately 60 megawatts (mw). Major transmission lines from all areas of the state converge in Central New York, causing the state's most serious transmission bottleneck along the crucial Utica-Albany corridor. The NYISO is responsible for maintaining the reliability of New York's bulk power system and operating a fair and competitive wholesale energy market.

The improved power flows are a result of Phase One of the CSC project. With completion of Phase Two of the CSC next year, the project will not only move more power over existing lines, but will have the capability to route power away from heavily loaded lines to underutilized lines. When fully operational, the CSC is expected to increase power flows by some 240 mw over all transmission corridors in the system.

"NYPA's combination of high-tech innovations and lower-cost energy promotes Governor George E. Pataki's efforts to revitalize New York's economy by helping to make more power available at competitive prices," said Joseph J. Seymour, chairman and chief executive officer of the New York Power Authority. "The CSC's new technology benefits the entire statewide transmission system by helping to maximize plant output, reduce system losses and provide flexibility for system operations. These improvements will help achieve a competitive marketplace for electricity in New York State."

Work on the CSC began in May 1999. On this past April 2, after nearly two years of construction and months of testing, NYPA's Energy Control Center at Marcy notified NYISO that Phase One was ready.

"The new CSC will provide enhanced voltage support and increase New York's cross-state transfer capability, strengthening the reliability and efficiency of the state's bulk power transmission system," said William J. Museler, NYISO president and chief executive officer.

Power Authority Chairman Seymour also noted that increasing the capacity of current transmission lines benefits the environment by reducing the need to construct new high-voltage lines. "By making better use of existing transmission lines, the Power Authority is helping to meet Governor Pataki's commitment to the environment," he said.

The Power Authority's CSC is the latest generation of FACTS (Flexible Alternating Current Transmission Systems) technology. The FACTS technology was developed by EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute) in cooperation with several electric utilities, including NYPA. Combining high-speed, solid-state power electronics, microprocessors, computers, advanced automation, communications and power system analysis software, FACTS provides unprecedented control of power delivery, minimizes line disturbances and helps to reduce power interruptions. Existing electromechanical power controls are not fast enough to rapidly respond to changing system demands.

The advanced technology can better control and stabilize voltage, which is the force--much like the pressure in a garden hose--sending electricity through transmission lines. When customers demand more power, voltage usually goes down and if voltage is not kept within a certain range, reliability can be jeopardized. Unevenness in voltage levels also occurs over long distances and with system irregularities such as line failures. The new technology will help keep voltage stable, allowing more power to travel more reliably over a line.

The CSC development and installation is a collaborative $48 million effort by the Power Authority, which has invested about $35 million; EPRI; Siemens Transmission and Distribution; and over 30 electric utilities in the United States, Canada and other countries.