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New
Release -- Superconductor Week does not edit or endorse the following
news release: AMSC, Homeland
Security Department and Consolidated Edison Commence Project to Protect New York
City's Power Grid
Westborough, MA, 21 May 2007:
American Superconductor Corporation, a leading energy technologies
company, announced today that it has signed a contract with Consolidated Edison,
Inc. (NYSE: ED), one of the nation's largest investor-owned energy companies, to
develop and deploy a new high temperature superconductor (HTS) power grid
technology in Con Edison's power delivery network in New York City. The
Department of Homeland Security is expected to invest up to $25 million in the
development of this technology to enable "Secure Super Grids" in the United
States. Secure Super Grids utilize customized HTS wires, HTS power cables and
ancillary controls to deliver more power through the grid while also being able
to suppress power surges that can disrupt service.
"The Department of Homeland Security is charged
with protecting the infrastructure and systems that keep our nation and our
economy running smoothly," said Jay M. Cohen, the Department of Homeland
Security's (DHS) Under Secretary for Science and Technology. "The U.S. power
grid is one of our most valuable assets, and we are taking the steps necessary -
through the use of our most advanced technologies - to ensure its safety. As we
saw with the August 2003 blackout and in incidents since, disruptions to the
power grid have far-reaching effects and a tremendous economic impact. We have
asked AMSC and Consolidated Edison to demonstrate superconductor solutions in
New York City that will serve to keep our centers of commerce on line under all
conditions - including grid events related to severe weather, accidents or
terrorist attacks."
This endeavor has been code named "Project Hydra"
by DHS. Much like the mythical Greek monster that grew back multiple heads when
one was severed, multiple paths for electricity flow will be created in power
grids to ensure system reliability if circuits were to be disrupted. To view an
animation of Secure Super Grids in action, please visit http://www.amsc.com/products/hydra.cfm.
AMSC is the prime contractor for Project Hydra.
The company signed a letter contract worth $1.7 million with DHS on May 18,
2007, and work on the project has commenced. Of the $1.7 million, DHS will fund
approximately $1.1 million. AMSC and Con Edison signed a separate agreement
whereby Con Edison will be a subcontractor to AMSC. Final contract terms and
conditions are expected to be completed within 90 days. The total project cost
is estimated to be $39.3 million. It is anticipated that DHS would fund up to
$25 million of this total.
The deployment of a commercial high-capacity,
surge-suppressing HTS cable system in New York City is projected for completion
in three years, concurrent with Con Edison's "System of the Future" grid
enhancement plans. The project will occur in two phases. The project's first
phase, which is now underway, focuses on the development and operation of a
prototype system. AMSC has applied for a series of patents related to its Secure
Super Grids technology and issued a separate press release on the topic this
morning. Testing of the first Secure Super Grid system is targeted for
completion by the end of 2008.
Greg Yurek, founder and CEO of AMSC, said,
"Project Hydra represents a powerful convergence of the visions of our three
organizations: Con Edison's vision for the adoption of superconductor technology
to help create its System of the Future for New York City; DHS's vision to tap
into advanced energy technologies to enhance grid security; and AMSC's vision to
commercialize superconductor technology for the power grid. Not only will this
project kick off the deployment of superconductor technology to the benefit of
the people and businesses of New York City, it will also demonstrate a new power
grid solution that will have broad appeal around the globe."
The second phase of the project will focus on the
deployment of the first Secure Super Grid system in Con Edison's power grid in
New York City at an undisclosed location. AMSC will produce the HTS wire, known
as 344 superconductors, for the project and will contract with Southwire Company
to perform the detailed cable and termination design as well as the manufacture
of the superconductor cable. Commissioning of the 13 kilovolt (kV) HTS cable
system is expected in early 2010, meeting Con Edison's construction schedule.
This project will build on the foundation in HTS
technology developed over the past 20 years by U.S. private industry and by the
Department of Energy (DOE), which today is funding the demonstration of HTS
power cables in three U.S. power grids. The DOE also funded the demonstration of
a HTS Triax(TM) cable system developed jointly by Southwire Company and Oak
Ridge National Laboratory.
"The Department of Energy believes HTS technology
is vitally important to the modernization of the nation's power grid," said
Kevin Kolevar, Director of the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy
Reliability. "We are pleased to see the Secure Super Grid project in New York
City building on the platform DOE helped to create over the past 20 years in
partnership with U.S. industry. The Secure Super Grid project is the next
logical step for short-length HTS applications as the Department continues to
improve wire performance and materials challenges required for longer length
projects and higher voltages. Together, these activities will help propel HTS
technology toward commercialization."
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