More Power for New York: Siemens to Install HVDC Back-to-Back Link to Boost Manhattan's Power Supply

ORLANDO, Fla., May 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Siemens Energy is installing a turnkey HVDC (high-voltage direct-current) back-to-back link to connect the power supply networks of New Jersey and New York. In the future it is estimated that an additional 660 megawatts (MW) of controlled electric power will be transmitted via a high-voltage cable link across the Hudson River from New Jersey to boost the power supply of the megacity New York.  The customer is Hudson Transmission Partners, LLC of Fairfield, Connecticut. The total contract value for the consortium of Siemens and Prysmian is approximately 400 million US dollars. Siemens' scope of supply includes the open- and closed-loop controls for the HVDC system, the thyristor valves, eight converter transformers and the AC filters, as well as operation and maintenance for five years. The power link is scheduled to come on line in summer 2013.

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"Together with our consortium partner Prysmian, which will be handling the cable link, we will create another power highway to meet New York's growing power demand," said Udo Niehage, CEO of the Power Transmission Division of Siemens Energy. The Siemens HVDC turnkey back-to-back link will not only connect the two power supply networks, it will also enable control of the power flow on the new power highway to New York. The HVDC technology, with its fast control function, will also contribute toward stabilization of the connected systems, which is a key benefit in the event of grid disturbances or blackouts. Furthermore this high capacity power link will make sure to avoid bottlenecks on the power supply for New York.

The station with the HVDC back-to-back link will be built in Ridgefield, New Jersey, where it will be connected via a substation with New Jersey's 230-kV power supply network. A 345-kV high-voltage cable spanning a total distance of twelve kilometers, part of which will be laid under water in the Hudson River, will provide the connection to the point where the power is fed into New York's system. The infeed point is located on 49th Street in Manhattan.

In July 2005, Siemens received an order from the same project developer to install an HVDC link between New Jersey and Long Island, which was commissioned in late June 2007. The HVDC submarine cable link, also known as the Neptune project, transmits as much as 660 MW of electrical energy at a direct voltage of 500 kV. It provides a low-loss, eco-friendly power link between New Jersey's power supply network and Long Island and meets the continuously increasing power demand on Long Island.

Energy efficiency high-voltage direct-current transmission technology (HVDC) is part of Siemens' Environmental Portfolio. In fiscal 2010, revenue from the Portfolio totaled about EUR28 billion, making Siemens the world's largest supplier of eco-friendly technologies. In the same period, our products and solutions enabled customers to reduce their carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 270 million tons, an amount equal to the total annual CO2 emissions of the megacities Hong Kong, London, New York, Tokyo, Delhi and Singapore.

The Siemens Energy Sector is the world's leading supplier of a complete spectrum of products, services and solutions for the generation, transmission and distribution of power and for the extraction, conversion and transport of oil and gas. In fiscal 2010 (ended September 30), the Energy Sector had revenues of approximately EUR25.5 billion and received new orders totaling more than EUR30.1 billion and posted a profit of more than EUR3.3 billion. On September 30, 2010, the Energy Sector had a work force of more than 88,000. Further information is available at: www.siemens.com/energy.

SOURCE Siemens Energy, Inc.