Advanced power flow control is unlocking utility value in the Americas

Smart Wires’ SmartValve advanced power flow control technology is being implemented by ISA CTEEP in Brazil and Central Hudson Gas & Electric in New York.

The implementation in Brazil by transmission operator ISA CTEEP is a first in the country and should see an initial deployment of the SmartValve solution in early 2025 to control power flows on two circuits and unlock capacity for an immediate load increase near Ribeirão Preto in the north of São Paulo state while a line is being rebuilt.

Once the reconstruction is completed in 2027 and the short term need met, the SmartValves technology will be relocated to the São José do Rio Preto and Votuporanga substations, to the northwest of Ribeirão Preto to meet the growing longer term needs in that area.

“In addition to optimising network operations, this solution offers a shorter installation timeframe with minimal environmental impact, as it can be implemented in existing substation,” says Claudio Domingorena, executive director of Regulation, Strategy and Innovation at ISA CTEEP.

Have you read?
Using advanced inverter tech to deliver power system stability
The puzzle of transmission grid planning

“This results in greater safety, resilience and flexibility for the system, both in the short and long term.”

The technology was identified in a study undertaken by ISA CTEEP with the national energy planning agency, Empresa de Pesquisa Energética (EPE) to increase the capacity of the 138kV network in the area to meet the forecast load growth.

The expectation is that such advanced power flow control deployments will be expanded in future years to support integrating the growing renewable energy production in the northeast of Brazil.

Meanwhile up in New York Central Hudson Gas & Electric has completed a SmartValves deployment that is providing 185MW of extra capacity for renewable energy in the state.

Fifteen SmartValves devices were installed in 2023 on the underutilised 345kV Leeds-Hurley Avenue circuit, providing 150MVAr of power flow control capability and opening the way, along with new transmission lines, for the increasing renewable energy generation, targeted to reach 70% of electricity supply by 2030.

“Partnering with Smart Wires on our Hurley Avenue substation project has allowed us to unlock capacity on our grid that will increase our overall ability to move emission-free energy from where it is produced to where it is needed,” said Ryan Hawthorne, Central Hudson’s vice president of Electric Engineering and Operations, of the deployment following a 2019 pilot.

SmartValve is a single phase modular static synchronous series compensator (m-SSSC) that injects a voltage in quadrature with the line current to essentially push power off overloaded lines or pull power onto underutilised lines.