US-based electricity and natural gas company Xcel Energy has awarded a contract to ABB to supply two static var compensators (SVCs) for its transmission grid expansion project in New Mexico.
Designed to provide dynamic voltage support, the 115kV SVCs will be installed at Xcel Energy’s Roadrunner and China Draw substations.
The investment is part of the company’s $1.6bn transmission expansion project in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma.
Called ‘Power for the Plains’, the project is designed to enhance electric reliability, strengthen the existing transmission grid and integrate further wind power capacity.
ABB power systems division substations business head Oleg Aleinikov said: "We are pleased to support the strengthening of New Mexico’s grid infrastructure and help improve the quality and reliability of power supplies to industrial and residential customers in the region."
SVCs are part of ABB’s flexible alternating current transmission systems (FACTS) range of technologies, which are claimed to improve capacity and flexibility of power transmission systems.
Image: ABB’s static var compensators will be installed at Xcel Energy’s two substations in New Mexico. Photo: courtesy of ABB.