Smart Wires collaborates with Central Hudson Gas & Electric to provide 185 MW extra capacity for renewable energy in New York

New York has set an ambitious target of providing 70% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030, which requires a significant increase in transmission capacity over what is available today. While new transmission lines need to be built to reach this target, there is also untapped capacity on the existing grid that is not used. This is mainly due to bottlenecks on some heavily loaded grid assets which are limiting regional power flows.  

When a NYISO study identified a need to increase transfer capacity in the eastern area of the state, Central Hudson Gas & Electric (Central Hudson) evaluated multiple network options that could provide series compensation to unlock this capacity. Originally, Central Hudson considered using a Fixed Series Capacitor (FSC), but following detailed analysis an alternative using APFC solution—SmartValve™—was selected as the preferred option.  

Central Hudson deployed fifteen SmartValves on the underutilized 345 kV Leeds-Hurley Avenue circuit, providing 150 MVAr of power flow control capability and unlocking 185 MW of grid capacity.  

“Central Hudson is committed to reducing overall carbon emissions by making meaningful investments in our energy system,” said Ryan Hawthorne, Vice President of Electric Engineering and Operations. “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.” 

SmartValve is a leading APFC solution, which is mandated for inclusion in regional transmission planning processes and interconnection studies under FERC’s newly introduced Order 1920 and Order 2023 respectively.  It is a patented, award-winning, 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 underutilized lines.  

Using SmartValves for the Leeds-Hurley Avenue project also provided greater system benefits than the FSC option due to its lower risk of sub-synchronous resonance (SSR) and its capability to provide dynamic services such as improving voltage stability and transient stability.  

“We have worked closely with Central Hudson since the initial pilot project in 2019 and are proud to have partnered with them on this large-scale project which showcases the importance of grid enhancing technologies like SmartValve in quickly and cost-effectively integrating renewable energy,” said Joaquin Peirano, General Manager, Americas at Smart Wires.  

“This project can be easily scaled up with additional SmartValves to increase the power flow capabilities of the deployment as renewable generation grows further in the future, providing a flexible future-proofed solution,” he said. 

“It’s great to see Central Hudson leading the way in using APFC, as the Department of Energy and FERC continue to introduce new rules and funding programs (e.g. GRIP program) to support greater use of solutions like this that maximize transmission capacity on the US grid,” he concluded.  

Other New York stakeholders are following in the footsteps of Central Hudson in deploying APFC. The ‘New York Power Grid Study’ which outlines plans for projects to enable the state’s grid to support 70% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030, also includes multiple APFC projects in the state over the coming years.  

For more information 

Grace McLoughlin  

Manager, Global Marketing & Communications  

Grace.McLoughlin@smartwires.com  

About Smart Wires 

Smart Wires is the world’s leading grid enhancing technology and services provider. We help electric utilities unlock capacity and solve their critical grid issues, using our solutions to create a more flexible, reliable and affordable grid. This enables a faster, more cost-efficient path to meet growing electricity demand with clean energy generation, at lowest cost to consumers. Headquartered in the Research Triangle of North Carolina, Smart Wires has a global workforce of passionate and visionary industry-leading experts across four continents, who work every day to transform grids globally. In collaboration with our customers and partners, we’ve unlocked over 3.5 Gigawatts capacity—enough to power over 2.5 million homes—supporting the faster integration of clean energy and new demand, enhancing security of supply and delivering cost savings to consumers. 

Together, we are reimagining the grid for net zero. 

www.smartwires.com