Power and automation group, ABB has secured a $90m contract from American Transmission (ATC) to render a power solution that will help control the flow of power and increase grid stability in the US state of Michigan.
As part of the project, ABB will design, supply and install a 200MW back-to-back High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) light station to control the power flow between the Upper and Lower Peninsulas of Michigan and provide dynamic voltage support.
ABB head of power systems division Peter Leupp said this HVDC Light solution will increase power capacity and enhance grid stability and reliability through power flow control, besides drawing more wind power into the energy mix.
"Controllability, compact modular design, ease of system interface and minimized environmental impact are some of the key advantages of this technology" said Leupp.
An HVDC back-to-back system consists of two converters connected directly to each other, without any DC transmission line, making it possible to fully control the power transfer through the connection.
During maintenance or other occasions when one of the converters is non-functional, the other converter operates like a static synchronous condenser regulating device, continuing to provide dynamic voltage support to the network.
The link is scheduled to go into operation in mid-2014.
The voltage and reactive power control features of the system will enable the integration of additional wind energy and stabilisation of the network.
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The HVDC Light solution will boost power capacity and enhance grid stability and reliability through power flow control; Photo : ABB
