Advanced conductors and other solutions may be key
Reconductoring with advanced conductors can represent a quicker, simpler alternative to new line installments. Advanced conductors, which feature carbon-composite cores rather than standard steel-core conductors, have key material and electrical properties that could potentially enable 200% – 300% capacity growth without having to create new rights of way or build new towers. They accomplish this by simply replacing the old conductors with new ones.7 These new conductors can also offer improved strength at elevated temperatures and less sagging than older-generation steel-core products, which helps mitigate wildfire risk from powerlines touching dry vegetation.
An analysis by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) found that reconductoring can help to meet over 80% of the new US interzonal transmission needs to reach over 90% clean electricity by 2035, given planned transmission build-out.8 PNAS’s study also found that the combination of lower spending on expanding transmission and decreased curtailment of renewable energy assets translates to US$85 billion of savings in system cost by 2035 and US$180 billion in savings by 2050. Unlike earlier versions of this technology, today’s newer, more advanced conductors are also fully compatible with standard installation practices, which is helping to accelerate adoption. Given their various potential benefits and track record of sufficient deployments, which illustrate the efficacy of the technology, carbon-composite-core conductors can represent an attractive near-term opportunity for US grid operators.
High-temperature superconductors (HTS) have also been considered by utilities as a potential solution, which could provide a fivefold to tenfold capacity increase for gridlines. This technology, however, is more nascent and lacks commercial deployments to date. In addition, challenges exist with installation and utility maintenance processes, which can be difficult to change.
In 2024, after monitoring leading incumbents and potential private-market disruptors, we led a Series B raise in TS Conductor, an advanced-conductor company based in California. Also participating in the raise were utility industry strategics, including National Grid, Quanta Services, and NextEra. TS Conductor’s technology is in commercial deployment today and is engineered to facilitate easier installation relative to other advanced conductors due to design features of its proprietary carbon composite core.
Learn more about TS Conductor and see a complete list of Wellington’s investments across private markets.
