ATC Looks to Advance PMU and Fiber Optic Technologies

Multi-state transmission utility American Transmission Company (ATC) has won two DOE Recovery Act Smart Grid investment grants totaling $12.7 million. Now in the negotiations stage, the grants will allow the utility to extend its use of phasor measurement units (PMUs) for grid monitoring technology and its fiber optics communications technology.

PMUs are a new Smart Grid technology that allow real-time monitoring of grid status. ATC earlier installed a small number of the units on its system to evaluate their performance. PMU technology offers an important measuring device for future power systems because they provide a wider, more integrated and time-synchronized overview of the entire system. ATC had applied for $1.3 million in the DOE investment grants to extend its PMU program.

The second Recovery Act grant, for $11.4 million, will help fund extension of ATC's fiber optics technologies to improve communications between its electric substations and its systems operation centers. ATC has already installed optical ground wire fiber (OPGW) on several of its recent transmission construction projects. Expanding the use of OPGW also gives the utility the capability of transmitting information from the PMUs to the operations centers.

"We are pleased that these two projects applications were selected. The grants give us a means to proceed with these new technologies to improve our ability to monitor the grid and enhance the reliability of our infrastructure needed to help keep the lights on," said John Procario, ATC president and CEO.

Wisconsin-based ATC is owner/operator of the transmission network that serves parts of Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois. The company was formed in 2001 as the country's first multi-state transmission-only utility. ATC's system includes 9,400 miles of transmission lines and 510 substations.