Prysmian Group has secured a multi-phased $190m contract to upgrade the power transmission grid in Washington DC.
Image: Prysmian wins power transmission upgrade contract in US. Photo: Courtesy of Julia Freeman-Woolpert/FreeImages.com.
Under the contract, Prysmian will supply nearly 340 km of high voltage cables and systems together with the innovative Pry-Cam grid monitoring technology and maintenance services.
The project is currently scheduled to run between this year and 2026, with a $13m agreement in place for phase one due to be performed this year.
The US Capital recorded 700,000 residents last year, which is claimed to be a dramatic population growth that has caused an increase in demand for reliable electricity supply.
The upgrade is expected to improve the reliability and reduce the risk of storm-related outages. The project will also expand network capacity to support solar energy and other customer-generated solutions, thus addressing the energy needs of the area.
Prysmian Group North America CEO Massimo Battaini said: “As a global advocate for smart underground infrastructure, Prysmian Group is proud to enter this forward-thinking system upgrade project.
“We look forward to providing safe, reliable and affordable energy to customers and communities in the District of Columbia and Maryland, and continuing our commitment to build a more connected future.”
As a turnkey solution provider, Prysmian stated that it has been given the responsibility to design, engineer, procure, install and commission over 100km long high voltage underground cable systems XLPE-insulated 230kV cables and over 200 km of XLPE-insulated 69kV cables, along with the related accessories and network components.
The project also includes an integrated monitoring system based on its PRY-CAM Condition Assessment and Asset Management technology to monitor all key parameters of the electrical system including acoustic vibration, partial discharge, temperature, etc.
The company will also be responsible for maintenance services and systems, including sheath testing operations, manhole inspections and voltage testing activities.
Cables for this project will be manufactured at Prysmian’s facility in Abbeville, South Carolina, and will be installed over an eight-year period between 2019 and 2026.
Prysmian high voltage BU vice president Borjan Sehovac said: “By leveraging on the newly-combined geographical presence of Prysmian and General Cable, we are seeing promising results in the High Voltage Underground business.
“Recently, the Group has also been awarded important projects in Asia Pacific and South America, thus consolidating its market leadership.”
Last November, the company finalized a €125m contract with Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO) for an interconnector project between the Island of Crete and mainland Greece Peloponnese region.
As part of the contract, the company will design, supply, install and commission high voltage alternating current (HVAC) cable system.