The lightweight, sag-resistant composite reinforced aluminum conductor (ACCR) reportedly provides more than twice the capacity of conventional conductors of similar size without requiring the construction of new or enlarged towers.
Companhia de Transmissao de Energia Eletrica Paulista (CTEEP) noted that the line will boost power transmission capacity for the Jupia electrical system. The line crosses the nearly mile-wide Parana River and is subject to strong winds and high temperatures.
The ACCR was developed with the support of the US Department of Energy, which tested the conductor at its Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, and with early contributions by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
Tim Koenig, director of the 3M’s high capacity conductor program, said: There is a growing recognition that this a proven, reliable and cost-efficient conductor that provides substantially greater capacity while minimizing the risks and environmental concerns associated with tower construction.
