Unlocking Grid Capacity Via Advanced Power Flow Control (APFC)
Image courtesy of Michael Kappel under Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic Deed, resized to 700 x 391 pixels.
A new technology category – the advanced power flow control solution or APFC – has been shown to be able to unlock untapped capacity on the existing power grid without building new transmission lines. Of course, to meet the nation’s growing and insatiable demand for power, more transmission will ultimately need to be built, but utilization of APFC technologies could be a good interim solution.
Advanced Power Flow Control Solution (APFC) Case Study
APFC technologies can alleviate flow-limiting bottlenecks on some heavily loaded grid assets, thereby squeezing out some additional capacity. One utility that has recently deployed this type of solution successfully is Central Hudson Gas & Electric.
Central Hudson was directed by the New York Independent System Operator’s (NYISO) to increase capacity by 185 MW in its service territory to help meet the state’s target of hitting 70% renewables by 2030.
The utility evaluated several options for increasing existing capacity, and eventually landed on Smart Wires’ SmartValve, a modular static synchronous series compensator (SSSC). The project installed 15 SmartValves on the targeted circuit, enabling power flows to be adjusted and pulled into the underutilized circuit in real time based on changing network conditions to successfully unlock the incremental 185 MW.
The Smart Wires solution cost roughly $10 million less than the other solution that Central Hudson strongly considered – installation of a fixed series capacitor (FSC). Even better, the Smart Wires deployment can be expanded or even relocated as system needs evolve, providing an element of futureproofing.
Overall, APFC solutions are expected to proliferate, as FERC’s newly introduced Order 1920 and Order 2023 requires them to be included in regional transmission planning processes and interconnection studies.
In the final analysis, while an expansion of the nation’s transmission infrastructure would be ideal, a bottleneck exists for new projects due to increasing costs and transmission permitting delays. Utilization of supplemental technology like an APFC solution is a perfect way to do more with less in the meantime.
