ATC improvements double as major energy efficiency upgrades

From a media release issued by ATC:

WAUKESHA, Wis. – American Transmission Co.’s $1.7 billion investment in reliability and efficiency upgrades to the transmission grid over the past seven years also has contributed to energy savings and reduced carbon emissions. In figures released today, ATC demonstrates that its more robust high-voltage transmission system has helped reduce electrical output at peak times equivalent to a 125-megawatt generating plant.

“Our investment may be one of the largest energy savings programs in the Upper Midwest,” said José Delgado, ATC president and chief executive officer. “The more efficient high-voltage lines and newer infrastructure that we’ve placed in service results in lower line losses. We can translate this into significant environmental benefits. With the recent approval of the final report by Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle’s Task Force on Global Warming, this is good news.”

Flora Flygt, director of ATC Transmission Planning, explained, “Transmission system improvements also function as major energy efficiency upgrades on the electric system because of the sheer volume of energy they carry. Even a small increase in the efficiency of the grid’s power-carrying capabilities can yield significant energy-saving and carbon-reducing results.”

She said the savings are due to reduced electricity losses. “In simple terms, our improvements mean that the wires do not get as hot, which results in substantially lower electricity losses in the process of moving power into communities,” said Flygt.

Lower losses between the generation source and the delivery point mean a reduction in the required electricity output needed to transport power and meet demand. If the generation source is a fossil-fueled power plant, the result is lower carbon emissions. Losses on ATC’s high-voltage network are relatively low at around 2.2 percent of energy carried.