Operation Experience and further Development of a High-Temperature Superconducting Power Cable in the Long Island Power Authority Grid

Abstract

In recent years high temperature superconductor (HTS) power cables have attracted extensive interest. With funding support from the United States Department of Energy (DOE), the world's first transmission voltage level HTS power cable has been designed, fabricated and permanently installed in Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) grid. The HTS cable was successfully commissioned on April 22, 2008. In 2007, a new DOE Superconductor Power Equipment program to address outstanding issues for integrating HTS cables into utility grids was awarded to the current project team. The goal of the follow up project is to develop and install a replacement cable phase manufactured using second generation superconducting wire. In addition outstanding components development necessary for full scale integration of HTS cables into power grids are addressed This paper will report on the status of the two projects including the results of further developments and the operating experience gained during 3 years of in grid operation of a transmission voltage superconducting cable.