Avangrid Pilots New Technology to Increase Grid Capacity in New York to Accelerate Renewable Energy Adoption

Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), a leading sustainable energy company and part of the Iberdrola Group, has announced a pilot project with LineVision, Inc. to unlock additional capacity on its transmission lines for renewable energy in New York state. The project will deploy advanced monitoring for overhead transmission lines in the Hornell, N.Y. area with the goal of reducing grid congestion by providing real-time data on where additional power can safely flow through the existing transmission infrastructure. This critical data and visibility could aid in linking more renewable energy resources into New York’s electrical grid and supporting the state’s clean energy goals.

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The amount of energy that electric transmission lines can safely carry is variable. Historically, the lines have been operated using “static” line ratings that tell grid operators a lines’ energy capacity based on conservative and fixed values for assumed weather conditions. However, now with LineVision’s advanced monitoring Avangrid will be able to see real-time data, allowing for more flexibility to safely increase the amount of energy flowing through the transmission lines based on current conditions. The advanced monitoring provides “dynamic” line ratings (DLR), which determine capacity limits of the power lines by combining real-time properties such as sag, temperature and forecasted weather conditions. This results in more informed grid operations and increased carrying capacity of the transmission lines without needing to make any large grid upgrades.

As part of the project, LineVision will partner with Avangrid’s electric utility operating company New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) to install non-contact LiDAR sensors to monitor overhead transmission lines, accelerating renewable energy adoption and progressing toward the state’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) goals. The sensors will be installed on two of the company’s transmission lines: One runs from Elma (Erie County) to Strykersville (Wyoming County), and the other line runs from Warsaw to Perry (both in Wyoming County).