Southern Company and Smart Wires team up with Georgia Tech to revolutionize the power grid 

This project, led by the Georgia Tech Center for Distributed Energy with professor Deepak Divan as Principal Investigator, was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy in November 2021 as one of four projects to receive funding for grid enhancing technologies (GETs) that improve grid reliability, optimize existing grid infrastructure, and support the connection of renewable energy. It will use Smart Wires’ APFC solution— SmartValve™—in a mobile deployment combined with its DLR software—SUMO—and also develop control algorithms that improve and fine-tune how these solutions can work in synergy to optimize use of the grid. 

“The launch of this innovative project represents an important step toward more efficient and reliable integration of cleaner energy sources,” said Tim Lieuwen, interim executive vice president for Research at Georgia Institute of Technology. “This collaboration allows us to identify, develop and test new ways to manage the power grid in Georgia by co-deploying APFC and DLR technologies.” 

While the effectiveness of these solutions is well documented in multiple third-party reports, such as RMI’s GETting Interconnected in PJM, this project will be the first large-scale implementation of both technologies together. It will specifically examine their combined impact and result in the development of design control algorithms to unlock the combined power of these solutions and maximize their efficiency.  

SUMO identifies when lines have spare capacity based on real-time weather conditions, while SmartValves can redirect power flows to quickly utilize this spare capacity. This also applies in reverse, with SUMO identifying when the dynamic ratings of lines are less than the static rating. If it’s a hot day, for example, SmartValves can redirect power flows away from these circuits to others with capacity, reducing the risk of system faults while improving operational safety.   

The mobile deployment of SmartValves can be installed and in-service within one week. This provides a rapidly deployable solution that avoids extended outages and can be easily moved between sites as system needs evolve over time. 

“We’re delighted to provide both SmartValves and SUMO in this project to move the dial in terms of deploying multiple GETs in synergy and optimizing their use,” said Joaquin Peirano, General Manager for the Americas at Smart Wires. “The commitment of utilities like Southern Company to get the most from their existing grid with GETs, combined with the positive regulatory developments such as FERC’s recent Order 1920, positions the U.S. to capture the full value these technologies can provide on transmission grids.”  

The project will be delivered in 2025 and will involve a one-year performance period to provide Southern Company with operational experience that can be shared with other utilities and pave the way for greater use of GETs in the U.S.  

About Georgia Institute of Technology 

The Georgia Institute of Technology is a leading research university, committed to improving the human condition through advanced science and technology. Georgia Tech’s engineering and computing colleges are the largest and among the highest-ranked in the nation. The Institute also offers outstanding programs in business, design, liberal arts, and sciences.  

With $1.37 billion annually in research, development, and sponsored activities across all six colleges and the Georgia Tech Research Institute, Georgia Tech is an engine of economic development for the state of Georgia, the Southeast, and the nation. Georgia Tech routinely ranks among the top U.S. universities in volume of research conducted; In 2023, the Institute ranked 17th among U.S. academic institutions in research and development expenditures, according to the National Science Foundation’s Higher Education Research and Development Survey.