Apr 29 2003
American Superconductor has been selected as the prime contractor by the US Department of Energy to supply high temperature superconducting (HTS) power transmission cable. The cable will be supplied for the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) transmission grid. The superconductor installation will be the world’s first to operate in a live grid at transmission voltages.
The new cable system will power 300,000 homes and entail a 2,000 foot transmission circuit which will be located underground in East Garden City, Long Island. The 138kV superconducting cable system will have be able to supply 600 MW of power.
The superconducting cables which will be manufactured by Nexans, using superconductor wire supplied by American Superconductor can provide 3 to 5 times more power then conventional wire of the same size. They can also be installed in existing rights of way, helping to reduce costs and environmental impact of grid upgrades.
The installation is expected to be up and running by the end of 2005.
For more information on superconductors, click here.