| Transmission & distribution
The US section, from Astoria, NYC, to the USA-Canada border is being developed by Transmission Developers Inc (TDI), a Blackstone portfolio company, which is said to have spent a decade “meticulously developing with local stakeholders the NY portion of the project and its approximately 339 mile route.”
Hydro-Québec is responsible for the Canadian section and plans to expand its transmission grid in Québec, from its Hertel substation to the Canada- New York border. A corresponding converter station (AC to DC) will be installed at Hertel. The Québec section will involve the construction of a 57.7 km long 400 kV DC line (56.1 km underground, 1.6 km underwater), connecting the planned Hertel converter station in La Prairie to an interconnection point in the Rivière Richelieu at the Canada–United States border.
Hydro-Québec describes itself as “the largest renewable energy producer in North America” and notes that for decades, it has been a “reliable energy partner for New York, providing clean power to the state in support of its clean energy and reliability needs.”
On 15 September, the New York State Public Service Commission approved plans for the developers to secure up to $6 billion in private financing that would be used to support construction of the US section of the Champlain Hudson Power Express project. In addition, the Commission ruled that the project developers “may proceed with the project and exercise the rights and privileges granted under various municipal consents the project has received.” The Commission had previously, on 18 April 2013, authorised the project developers to construct the transmission line. As part of this siting proceeding, the Commission determined, among other findings, that “the project would
serve the public interest, convenience, and necessity, and would minimize the adverse environmental impacts.”
The developers had previously received permission to borrow up to $4.5 billion for the project. The Commission emphasised that New York ratepayers could not be harmed by the terms of the financing because the developers bear all the financial risk. Also, in 2021 a contract had been signed with NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority) under which NYSERDA will purchase renewable energy credits for renewable power that is delivered over the new transmission line. “HVDC systems have tremendous potential for bringing large amounts of electricity directly into cities, which is essential for securing sustainable and affordable power today and in the future,” commented Niklas Persson, managing director of Hitachi Energy’s Grid Integration business. Power requirements in cities are increasing, especially in densely populated areas where land is already scarce, Hitachi Energy notes, and difficulties can arise when new right-of-ways must be secured for traditional transmission lines. HVDC technology enables large amounts of high-quality electricity to be delivered where it is most needed with complete control and with a very compact footprint using out-of-sight underground or underwater cables, as in the Champlain Hudson Power Express case.
SuedLink DC4
Another recent significant HVDC Light development reported by Hitachi Energy is its selection by TenneT and TransnetBW for SuedLink DC4, between Wilster and Bergrheinfeld/Grafenrheinfeld. This is one of Germany’s crucial North–South transmission
Above: HVDC cable installation (source: NKT)
‘corridor’ projects, seen as vital enablers of the energy transmission and supporting Germany in achieving its 2045 carbon neutrality goal. This is a particularly significant win for Hitachi Energy as Siemens has won the converter contracts for the three previously awarded HVDC corridor projects (see Modern Power Systems, October 2021, pp 16-18).
Using Hitachi Energy’s HVDC Light technology, SuedLink DC4 will be able to transfer up to 2000 MW of emission-free electricity via a 550 km underground link operating at ±525 kV, sending wind power from the north to the industrial south, or alternatively solar power from the south to the north when needed.
The contract includes three cable section stations to speed up fault detection in the link.
German HVDC north/south corridor projects in construction phase
Award: 2015 Brunsbüttel Wilster
Emden–Osterath-Philippsburg Amprion and TransnetBW Overall length ca. 660 km
DC 4 DC 1 DC 3 Osterath DC 5 Award: 2021
Bergrheinfeld/ Grafenrheinfeld
Philippsburg Großgartach/Leingarten Isar
Wilster–Bergrheinfeld/ Grafenrheinfeld
Above: German HVDC north/south corridor projects in execution
TransnetBW and TenneT Overall length ca. 620 km
Brunsbüttel–Leingarten/ Großgartach
TransnetBW and TenneT Overall length ca. 770 km
In operation: 2027/28 Capacity: 2000 MW
Converter technology: Siemens Cable: NKT
Award: 2022
In operation: 2027/28 Capacity 2000 MW
Converter technology: Hitachi Energy Cable: Prysmian
Wolmirstedt
Wolmirstedt–Isar 50Hertz and TenneT Overall length ca. 580 km
In operation: 2024 Capacity: 2000 MW
Converter technology: Siemens
Cable: Prysmian and Sumitomo/ Sudkabel
Award: 2021
In operation: 2027/28 Capacity: 2000 MW
Converter technology: Siemens Cable: NKT and Prysmian
www.modernpowersystems.com | October 2022 | 35
SuedLink (DC 4)
SuedLink (DC 3)
SuedOstLink (DC 5)
Ultranet and A-Nord (DC 1 aka Corridor A)
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