Further to the story 'Is New York's electrical grid about to sag?' (30/4/07), Superconductor Corporation, a leading energy technologies company, has announced that it has signed a contract with Consolidated Edison, Inc., one of the nation's largest investor-owned energy companies, to develop and deploy a new high temperature superconductor (HTS) power grid technology in Con Edison's power delivery network in New York City. The Department of Homeland Security is expected to invest up to US$25 million in the development of this technology to enable "Secure Super Grids" in the US. Secure Super Grids utilize customized HTS wires, HTS power cables and ancillary controls to deliver more power through the grid while also being able to suppress power surges that can disrupt service.
This endeavor has been code named "Project Hydra" by DHS. AMSC is the prime contractor for the Project. The company signed a letter contract worth $1.7 million with DHS on May 18, 2007, and work on the project has commenced. Of the $1.7 million, DHS will fund approximately $1.1 million. AMSC and Con Edison signed a separate agreement whereby Con Edison will be a subcontractor to AMSC. Final contract terms and conditions are expected to be completed within 90 days. The total project cost is estimated to be $39.3 million. It is anticipated that DHS would fund up to $25 million of this total.
The deployment of a commercial high-capacity, surge-suppressing HTS cable system in New York City is projected for completion in three years, concurrent with Con Edison's "System of the Future" grid enhancement plans. The project will occur in two phases. The project's first phase, which is now underway, focuses on the development and operation of a prototype system. AMSC has applied for a series of patents related to its Secure Super Grids technology and issued a separate press release on the topic this morning. Testing of the first Secure Super Grid system is targeted for completion by the end of 2008.
The second phase of the project will focus on the deployment of the first Secure Super Grid system in Con Edison's power grid in New York City at an undisclosed location. AMSC will produce the HTS wire, known as 344 superconductors, for the project and will contract with Southwire Company to perform the detailed cable and termination design as well as the manufacture of the superconductor cable. Commissioning of the 13 kilovolt (kV) HTS cable system is expected in early 2010, meeting Con Edison's construction schedule.