News | Headlines


3000 MW east-west USA connector proposed


USA Transmission & distribution Portland General Electric has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Grid United and ALLETE Inc. in the development of the North Plains Connector, an approximately 415-mile high-voltage direct-current transmission line to be constructed with endpoints near Bismarck, North Dakota and Colstrip, Montana. The parties will now work to finalise definitive agreements regarding PGE’s participation,


Sidney MONTANA Glendive Dickinson


Miles City CUSTER


ROSEBUD FALLON Baker SLOPE HETTINGER


NORTH DAKOTA


OLIVER Center Mandan MORTON Bismarck GRANT St. Anthony Colstrip MT


Substations Preferred route


WYOMING


SOUTH DAKOTA


ND


which is expected to involve a 20% ownership share of the project. The North Plains Connector will be the nation’s first HVDC transmission connection among three regional US electric energy markets – the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, the Western Interconnection and the Southwest Power Pool – providing additional flexibility and the sharing of resources across multiple time zones. It will more than double the transfer


capacity between the eastern and western US electric grids.


“The North Plains Connector is a key


step in serving the growing needs of customers …” said Maria Pope, PGE president and CEO. “Additional transmission capacity will provide access to renewable energy over a wider and diverse geographic area, helping to deliver economic and environmental benefits.” The North Plains Connector is one of the ways PGE is working collaboratively across the region to find solutions to nationwide transmission congestion. The new transmission infrastructure would provide PGE with 600 MW of transfer capacity, access to diverse energy resources, enhanced wholesale markets and ease congestion on the existing western transmission system.


The project represents an approximately $3.2 billion total investment in Montana and North Dakota and is expected to create over 600 jobs during construction. Once built, this new line will also enable additional energy production in Montana and North Dakota.


Under the terms of the MoU, Grid United will continue to fund the development of North Plains Connector. PGE would invest when project regulatory approvals and permits are in place.


Federal-state initiative to bolster USA power grid


USA Transmission & distribution President Biden has been working towards positioning the USA as a leader in the global race for a clean energy future, including by taking ambitious action to deliver a clean, reliable electric grid, which will help ensure that communities don’t lose power during extreme weather events, lower energy costs, and create well-paid jobs – while tackling the climate crisis. The USA is projected to build more new electric generation capacity this year than it has in two decades – 96 % of that, clean energy. And ten major transmission projects have begun construction, expected to connect nearly 20 GW of new power to the grid. The Biden-Harris administration is hoping to build on this momentum by launching a Federal-State Modern Grid Deployment Initiative, with commitments from 21 leading states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai‘i, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York,


6 | June 2024 | www.modernpowersystems.com


North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin. The initiative aims to bring together states, federal entities, and power sector stakeholders to help drive grid adaptation quickly and cost-effectively to meet the challenges and opportunities that the power sector faces in the twenty-first century.


Prioritising action


Participating states have committed to prioritise efforts that support the adoption of modern grid solutions to expand grid capacity and build modern grid capabilities on both new and existing transmission and distribution lines. Historically, expanding the capacity of the US power grid has typically relied on building new transmission lines with technologies that have not changed since the mid-twentieth century. Today, a new generation of modern grid technologies provides a significant opportunity to achieve power system capacity expansion, including through high-performance conductors that


have the benefit of being able to carry double or more of the amount of power of conventional transmission wires, as well as grid enhancing technologies that maximise electricity transmission across the existing system through a family of technologies that includes sensors, power flow control devices, and analytical tools. Deploying these tools means that renewables and other clean sources of power can be integrated sooner and more cost-effectively than waiting for new transmission construction.


Technical assistance


Alongside this announcement, the US Climate Alliance announced the availability of policy, technical, and analytical assistance to help participating members advance state-level efforts to carry out these commitments. In conjunction the Department of Energy is elevating the host of technical assistance programmes that can support varying levels of analysis for utilities, policy makers, regulators, state energy offices, and other stakeholders.


GOLDEN VALLEY


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