Great Northern Transmission Line, Minnesota, US

Connecting Winnipeg, Manitoba with Grand Rapids in Minnesota, Great Northern Transmission Line (GNTL) is a 500 kilovolt (kV) cross-country link between Canada and the US. Capable of transferring up to 800 megawatts (MW) of alternating current (AC) electricity, this transmission project currently delivers nearly 250 MW hydropower to Minnesota from Manitoba. This ‘clean’ energy will enable Minnesota Power, the state transmission utility, to shift rapidly towards an emission-free energy system and support its ‘EnergyForward’ strategy for transition to cleaner energy sources while meeting customer expectations for a reliable, stable, and affordable power.

For such reliability and affordability, reducing transmission energy loss is necessary. In AC networks, the ‘reactance’ of line conductors is one of the prime reasons for such loss. To mitigate this, Hitachi Energy has installed a series capacitor bank at Warroad substation. The solution, one of the largest series capacitor banks in the world, compensates the reactance of transmission line. This results into reduction of energy losses, enhanced power transfer capability of line, and reduced wear on electrical equipment, ensuring optimized maintenance costs.

With its EnergyForward strategy, Minnesota Power aims to deliver 100% carbon-free energy to all its customers by 2050. By offering solutions to boost reliability of its clean energy transmission link, Hitachi Energy reaffirms its commitment of enabling a stronger, smarter and greener grid.