American Superconductor D-VAR(R) Solution to Ensure Reliable Electric Power For Scotland's Orkney Islands
Monday September 22, 7:31 am ET
Transmission Reliability System Protects Regional Power Grid From Voltage Instability, Supports Planned Wind Farm Expansion
# WESTBOROUGH, Mass., Sept. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- American Superconductor Corporation (Nasdaq: AMSC - News), a leading electricity solutions company, today announced that its D-VAR® (Dynamic Volt-Ampere-Reactive) transmission grid reliability system will provide critical voltage support to the electric power grid for Scotland's Orkney Islands. Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE), the local grid owner and operator, awarded the contract to American Superconductor and their construction partners on this project, U.K.-based Kelvin Construction Company.(Logo: newscom.com )
"Ensuring the reliability of the electric power grid serving the Orkney Islands is our number one priority," said Mike Barlow, System Manager, SSE. "American Superconductor analyzed our grid system and provided a solution tailored to our needs. Their D-VAR system is a proven solution that offers high performance, cost-effective voltage support. Installing the D-VAR system will enable us to better protect our grid from voltage fluctuations and safely increase the amount of electric power supplied to the grid by the Orkney wind farms as they develop over the next years."
American Superconductor's D-VAR system will be used to protect the Orkney Islands' power supply from critical contingency events such as the loss of one of the two 33 kilovolt (kV) underwater power cables that serve the islands. In addition, the D-VAR system will be used to stabilize the SSE power grid, which is susceptible to voltage swings caused by the Orkney wind farms. Although wind farms are an important source of renewable electrical power, their inherently intermittent generation cycles and consumption of reactive power, which is needed by power grids to ensure stable operation, can create voltage instability problems. AMSC's D-VAR system actively monitors and mitigates voltage irregularities and enables the safe operation of wind farms on electrical power grids.
"We are pleased that SSE chose our D-VAR solution to help them meet the unique challenges of providing reliable power transmission to the Orkney Islands," said Chuck Stankiewicz, vice president and general manager of the Power Electronic Systems business unit at American Superconductor. "Our D-VAR systems ensure that critical voltage issues are detected and corrected safely and immediately. With D-VAR systems in place, utilities can rest assured that the voltage of the power provided to customers is stable and reliable, regardless of demand, unexpected grid events or whether the wind is blowing."
The AMSC grid reliability solution for SSE will be installed at the Scorradale substation and includes a D-VAR unit and two switched shunt capacitors that will be controlled by the D-VAR system. The Orkney Islands are interconnected to each other and to the Scottish mainland by underwater power cables. The D-VAR solution will actively manage voltage levels on the Orkney power grid, as well as mitigate the adverse affects on the grid of wind generation. The Orkney power grid has a load capacity of 32 megawatts (MW) and serves more than 10,000 customers.
The existing generation on Orkney is capable of generating 25 MW of electricity and providing electric power to the Orkney Islands and to the Scottish mainland. SSE expects developers to expand the number of wind farms on Orkney to provide an additional 15 MW of electrical power during 2004. The Orkney wind farms are a critical resource since the islands are dependent on imported power from the Scottish mainland when wind generation output is low. Conversely, when wind generation is high, the wind farms are often able to export power to the mainland.
About AMSC's D-VAR Transmission Reliability Solutions
D-VAR systems can be installed at a variety of points on power grids, including in existing electrical substations, as well as at wind farm grid interconnections, where they continuously monitor, detect, and provide instantaneous correction to voltage stability problems. By dynamically responding in milliseconds, D-VAR systems stabilize grid voltage, which not only improves reliability, but in certain applications, can also significantly increase the power throughput of existing transmission infrastructure. Featuring advanced power electronics, D-VAR systems can be quickly and cost- effectively deployed and offer an active grid voltage management solution of great flexibility, scalability and high power density. AMSC has installed more power electronic-based grid solutions than any other company. Customers of AMSC's transmission reliability systems include many large utilities such as Alliant Energy, BC Hydro, Entergy, Northeast Utilities, PacifiCorp, Tennessee Valley Authority, Rayburn Country Electric Cooperative and Wisconsin Public Service. For more information about AMSC transmission reliability systems, please visit www.amsuper.com/html/products/transmissionGrid/index.html.
About American Superconductor Corporation (Nasdaq: AMSC - News)
American Superconductor develops solutions and manufactures products to dramatically improve the cost, efficiency and reliability of systems that generate, deliver and use electric power. The company has a vertically integrated portfolio of products supported by hundreds of patents and licenses covering technologies fundamental to Revolutionizing the Way the World Uses Electricity(TM). Products from AMSC include High Temperature Superconductor wire for electric power, transportation, medical and industrial processing applications; HTS motors and generators for ship propulsion; and advanced power electronic systems that ensure the quality and reliability of electricity for residential, commercial and industrial customers. More information is available at www.amsuper.com.
D-VAR is a registered trademark and American Superconductor and Revolutionizing the Way the World Uses Electricity are trademarks of American Superconductor Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Any statements in this release about future expectations, plans and prospects for the Company, including statements containing the words "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "will" and similar expressions, constitute forward looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include: uncertainty regarding the Company's ability to consummate a public offering or other financing for any reason; uncertainties regarding the Company's ability to obtain anticipated funding from corporate and government contracts, to successfully develop, manufacture and market commercial products, and to secure anticipated orders; the risk that a robust market may not develop for the Company's products; the risk that strategic alliances and other contracts may be terminated; the risk that certain technologies utilized by the company will infringe intellectual property rights of others; the competition encountered by the company, including several large Japanese companies; the amount and timing of the company's future cash requirements and the availability of satisfactory financing sources. Reference is made to these and other factors discussed in the "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation" section of the Company's most recent quarterly or annual report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of the date of this release. While the Company anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause the Company's views to change, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to the date this press release is issued.
Contact Information
Media
Adam Banker
508-621-4375
abanker@amsuper.com
Investors
Mary Ryan
508-621-4432
mryan@amsuper.com
Source: American Superconductor Corporation |
