Hitachi Energy has been chosen by Pattern Energy to provide its high-voltage direct current (HVDC) and other advanced technologies for the SunZia Transmission Project, a critical link connecting the 3,500-megawatt SunZia Wind project in New Mexico to the power grid in Arizona and Southern California. Hitachi Energy's HVDC Light technology will help efficiently transfer and integrate vast amounts of wind power over more than 885 kilometres into the regional power grid, significantly increasing the availability of sustainable energy for homes and businesses throughout the region.
The SunZia Wind project will produce enough clean, renewable electricity to provide power to about three million Americans. Hitachi Energy's HVDC link will efficiently transmit up to 3,000 MW of this power west to Arizona. The HVDC Light system will be the largest voltage source converter installation in the United States, one of the largest worldwide, and one of the country's longest HVDC connections.
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Hitachi Energy's Managing Director of Grid Integration Business, Niklas Persson, said, “We are proud to be advancing a sustainable energy future for all in the southwestern United States, enabling Pattern Energy to integrate emission-free electricity into the regional grid serving Arizona and Southern California. Our market-leading HVDC technologies combined with our execution expertise makes us the partner of choice to help the US achieve its carbon-neutral targets by efficiently and reliably maximising its renewable energy resources.”
The SunZia Transmission project is a 3,000 MW HVDC link between Corona, New Mexico and Pinal County, Arizona. Hitachi Energy has already started work on designing and engineering the two HVDC Light converter stations, one at either end of the link. The transmitting station converts the power from AC to DC for transport in the overhead lines, then back to AC for integration into the receiving grid.
To find the optimal solution that considers the impact of the new facility on the existing grid, a system study and a comprehensive interconnection and system impact analysis were conducted by Hitachi Energy's expert consultants.
Hitachi Energy will also supply ‘alternating current (AC) chopper' technology to help restore power if the power flow on the DC line or in the AC grid in Arizona is temporarily interrupted by weather and other contingency events.
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Hitachi Energy has partnered with Quanta Services to provide a turnkey project solution for the SunZia project, including managing the HVDC construction and building installation at the associated project sites. The collaboration with Quanta is designed to leverage the core competencies of the two companies to deliver a best-in-class solution for the project. The HVDC converter stations are expected to be in-service by the end of 2025 to support final testing and commissioning of the SunZia Wind facilities in 2026.
Hitachi Energy has a proven track record of delivering more than half of the HVDC projects in North America. These include the Pacific Intertie transmission system, the Quebec-New England link, and the Maritime link. The company has also recently announced new HVDC projects including Champlain Hudson Power Express, the Châteauguay converter station modernisation with Hydro Quebec, and the InterMountain Power Project.
