3M Aluminum Conductor Composite Reinforced (ACCR)

More Amps,
More Confidence
for your most challenging
applications

3M ACCR
Case Studies
6/10

3M ACCR

Project Profile: Large Ampacity Upgrades

Project Overview:

Customer: Shanghai Electric Power Company Ltd

Project: YangGao to XinZhou (Yangxing line)
Location: Shanghai, China
Length & Voltage: 60 Conductor Miles (96.6 km); 10 circuit
miles(16.1 km); 220 kV

Solution: 3M ACCR 795 kcmil (418 mm2)

Results:

Doubled capacity to meet growing demand in the World

Expo area of Central Shanghai
Eliminated need for new towers
Provided fast, cost-effective option for delivering additional
energy in a time-sensitive project
Installed in 18 days

Based on the October 14 line energizing, 3M ACCR

works well. After passing a real projects running test,
we believe 3Ms ACCR will have a brilliant future in field
application and will help us enhance the city
transmission network. Mr. Pan, Shanghai Power
Yanggao Project designer.
2

3M ACCR

Project Profile: Long-span Water Crossing

Project Overview:

Customer: BC Hydro/BCTC
Project: Vancouver Island Transmission Reinforcement
(VITR)
Location: Vancouver Island
Length & Voltage: 6 conductor miles (9.7 km), 2 circuit
miles (3.2 km); 230 kV

Solution: 3M ACCR 788 kcmil (400 mm2)

Results:

Avoided major construction including extensive use of

helicopters, barges, and road construction by using
existing towers
Upgraded with minimal disturbance to environmentally
sensitive waterway and provincial park
Preserved the existing sightline
Successfully installed conductor across 5,800 ft (1.5
km), single-span with no additional towers and no tower
in the waterway

3M ACCR

Project Profile: Challenging Timelines

Project Overview:

Customer: Xcel Energy

Project: Black Dog to Blue Lake
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Length & Voltage: 30 conductor miles (48.3 km), 10 circuit
miles (16 km), 115 kV line

Solution: 3M ACCR 795 kcmil (418 mm2)

Results:

Boosted capacity on the line for peaking plant upgrade

coming on-line
Used only existing towers,
Avoided major construction in National Wildlife Refuge,
sensitive wetlands area
Solved difficult installation challenges on site, and used single
pull across protected area
Provided fast, cost-effective option for delivering energy by
saving months of permitting

Without 3M ACCR we would have had to replace

existing towers to accommodate larger sized
conventional conductors. Use of the new conductor
allowed us to boost capacity on the line while avoiding
major construction in an area with sensitive wetlands.
Doug Jaeger, transmission vice president for Xcel
Energy
4

3M ACCR

Project Profile: Challenging Timeline

Project Overview:

Customer: Chongqing Electric Power Corporation

Project: Shuinian to Shuangshan (Shuishuang line)
Location: Chongqing, China
Length & Voltage: 24 conductor miles (38.6 km), 4
circuit miles (6.4 km), 220 kV line

Solution: 3M ACCR 680 kcmil (346 mm2)

Results:

More than doubled transmission capacity using only

existing towers
Provided operational reliability in a sub-tropical region
with high humidity and extreme summer heat
Completed in 2 weeks, just one month before the start
of the Olympics

This is one of the hottest cities of China, with

monsoonal weather, and we required a conductor that
could be relied upon to carry more current under those
conditions, and could be installed quickly and reliably
within the existing infrastructure. Installation required
only two weeks. Wang Xinkuan, chief design engineer
for Chongqing Electric Power Corporation
5

3M ACCR

Project Profile: Densely Populated or Underbuilt Area

Project Overview:

Customer: Arizona Public Service

Project: Phoenix Metro Trunkline Upgrade
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Length & Voltage: 16 conductor miles (25.8 km) 5.5 circuit miles
(8.9 km); 230 kV

Solution: 3M ACCR 1272 kcmil (642 mm2)

Results:

Provided capacity to serve the fast-growing, congested area,

including airport, and downtown sports stadium
Used existing medium-duty structures without any tower
modifications
Avoided siting, acquiring rights-of-way, and environmental
permitting
Minimized installation time (3 weeks)
Minimized disruption to neighborhoods and facilities near the line

I dont even want to think what the overload

would have been, or the impact of that, if we
were still using the old lines, Paul Richards,
construction projects manager for APS, in The
Arizona Republic, 9/25/06
6

3M ACCR

Project Profile: Densely Populated or Underbuilt Area

Project Overview:

Customer: Allegheny Power

Project: Bedington Nipetown
Location: West Virginia
Length & Voltage: 6 conductor miles (9.7 km), 2
circuit miles (3.2 km); 138 kV line

Solution: 3M ACCR 1033 kcmil (525 mm2)

Results:

Increased transmission capacity using only existing

towers
Sagged neatly with an adjacent 954 ACSR
conductor on the same structure
Minimized impact on under-built lines and allowed
them to remain in service during installation

By using the 3M ACCR, the money and time saved was

invaluable on this fast-paced project. The design and
ordering process was a simple task because of 3Ms
sales and technical staff which demonstrates a service
culture of which 3M should be proud. - Richard Hoch
Engineer for Allegheny Power.
7

3M ACCR

Project Profile: Reliability

Project Overview:

Customer: Silicon Valley Power

Project: Center Loop Reconductor
Location: Santa Clara, California
Length & Voltage: 23 conductor miles, (37 km), 4 circuit
miles (6.4 km); 60 kV

Solution: 3M ACCR 715 kcmil (365 mm2)

Results:

Provided a highly reliable solution

Increased capacity using existing towers and maintained
existing right of way
Matched existing sag and tension without adding additional
stress to existing towers
Minimized disturbance to neighborhood and high-tech
industrial customers, including re-energizing the line at the
end of work each day for sensitive server farms and
electronic wafer manufacturers

We needed a way to significantly increase

transmission capacity without the extra cost of
making major structural changes. 3M ACCR fit
our needs exactly and at quite a savings over
other alternatives. - Kevin Keating, manager
of engineering for Silicon Valley Power
8

3M ACCR

Project Profile: N-1 Reliability

Project Overview:

Customer: Platte River Power Authority (PRPA)

Project: Timberline-Harmony
Location: Fort Collins, Colorado
Length & Voltage: 15 conductor miles (24 km), 5 circuit
miles (8 km); 230 kV

Solution: 3M ACCR 954 kcmil (490 mm2)

Results:

Increased transmission capacity to meet the N-1

reliability requirements
3M ACCR performed as required in heavy loads and
emergency conditions during 2008 tornado
Used only the existing, relatively new towers
Eliminated the need for permitting and other
requirements which would have been necessary for
new towers
Preserved the sightline
Avoided impacting nearby bike path and railroad

The Timberline-Harmony line is an important

part of the grid between Denver and
Cheyenne, and we chose 3M ACCR as a
way to safeguard against overloading when
demand is high. Mike Dahl, Division
Manager Electric Operations, Platte River
Power Authority
9

3M ACCR

Project Profile: New Construction

Project Overview:

Customer: Aha Macav Power Services & Western Area

Power Administration (WAPA)
Project: Firehouse No Name Reliability Interconnect
Location: Needles, CA
Length & Voltage: 15 conductor miles (24 km), 5 circuit
miles (8 km); 69 kV line

Solution: 3M ACCR 300 kcmil (150 mm2)

Results:

Increased transmission capacity to meet growing

demand, which caused reliability issues in nearby
community
Provided operational reliability in severe desert
conditions and peak periods
Installed double circuit with towers same height as
previous single circuit
Met environmental permitting restrictions

This has been an eagerly anticipated event that opens

the door to a much greater level of new economic
development. Were very pleased to be the first tribal
power company to apply this technological advance in
electricity transmission. - William Cyr, general
manager of Aha Macav Power Services.
10

3M ACCR

Project Profile: Large Ampacity Upgrade

Project Overview:

Customer: Western Area Power Administration (WAPA)

Project: Topock-Davis
Location: Near Bullhead City, Arizona
Length & Voltage: 60 conductor miles (97 km), 20 circuit
miles (32 km); 230 kV line

Solution: 3M ACCR 795 kcmil (418 mm2)

Results:

Increased capacity on the line, as well as overall path

rating
Used the existing structures
Minimized environmental impact
Cost savings from significantly reduced permitting and
environmental study requirements

You can put the 3M ACCR on the same

structures as the existing conductor, which
mitigates the overall cost, and gets a large
increase in capability Tony Montoya
assistant regional manager for the federal
Western Area Power Administration, as
quoted in The Arizona Republic,
September 25, 2006

11

3M ACCR

Project Profile: Thermal Upgrade With Changing Clearance Requirements

Project Overview:

Customer: Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)

Project: Northern Receiving Station (NRS) to Scott
Location: Santa Clara, CA
Length & Voltage: 0.7 conductor miles (1 km), .25 circuit
miles (0.40 km); 115 kV

Solution: 3M ACCR 477 kcmil (238 mm2)

Results:

Gained necessary capacity

Maintained all clearances at higher capacity with existing
structures
Avoided the need to replace 2 towers

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3M ACCR

Project Profile: Ampacity Upgrade

Project Overview:

Customer: Alabama Power

Project: Miller Substation
Location: Birmingham, AL
Length & Voltage: 9 conductor miles (14.5 km), 3
circuit miles (4.8 km), 230 kV

Solution: 3M ACCR 1033 kcmil (525 mm2)

Results:

Achieved capacity increase for future load growth

Maintained all clearances by reconductoring on existing
structures

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3M ACCR

Project Profile: Harsh Environment

Project Overview

Customer: Hawaii Electric Company (HECO)

Project: Pole 810 to Pole 818, Kahuku
Location: Hawaii
Length & Voltage: 1 conductor mile (1.6 km), .32 circuit
miles (.5 km); 46 kV line

Solution: 3M ACCR 477 kcmil (238 mm2)

Results:

Used same tension on existing towers as old conductor

Eliminated need for intersets
Continuously operating for several years beyond the
expected life of steel or polymer core conductors in this
corrosive environment

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3M ACCR

Project Profile: Harsh Environment

Project Overview:

Customer: Western Area Power Administration

(WAPA)
Project: Jamestown to Fargo
Location: Fargo, North Dakota
Length & Voltage: 2.5 conductor miles (4 km), .8
circuit miles (1.3 km); 230 kV line

Solution: 3M ACCR 795 kcmil (418 mm2)

Results:

Operated during at least 2 heavy ice loading events

over several years with no failures or measurable
degradation
Operated through extreme cold and hot ambient
conditions and high winds

15

3M ACCR

Project Profile: Reliability

Project Overview:

Customer: Alabama Power

Project: Bynum to Anniston
Location: Anniston, Alabama
Length & Voltage: 28 conductor miles (45 km), 9
circuit miles (14.5 km); 230 kV

Solution: 3M ACCR 1033 (525 mm2)

Results:

Line was upgraded to meet contingency

requirements
Increased transmission capacity to serve
summer peak loads
Eliminated need to replace existing transmission
structures and install 8 additional structures
Reduced time required to fit available outage
window

The use of the 3M ACCR Conductor for this project

allowed us to avoid the replacement of 22 transmission
structures and the installation of eight additional structures.
This will significantly reduce our construction time frame
and allow the line to be taken out of service for this project
without impacting the reliability of our grid. Andy Wallace,
Transmission line manager for Alabama Power.
16

3M ACCR

Project Profile: Environmentally Sensitive Area

Project Overview:

Customer: Companhia de Transmissao de Energia

Eletrica Paulista (CTEEP)
Project: Jup-Tri Paran River crossing
Location: Border of So Paulo and Mato Grosso do
Sul States, Brazil
Length & Voltage: 12 conductor miles (19 km), 2
circuit miles (3.2 km); double circuit 138 kV

Solution: 3M ACCR 300 kcmil (150 mm)

Results:

Increased capacity by 220%

Completed the river crossing using only existing
towers, and avoided major construction in
environmentally sensitive area
Accommodated required span lengths
Provided operational reliability in high winds and
ambient temperature
Conductor Installation finished in 6 days

The 3M ACCR unique features were essential for us to

choose 3M as the supplier for this transmission line. We
needed a product that could accomplish the TL needs, while
being reliable and cost effective. says CTEEP engineering
manager Caetano Cezario Neto.

17

3M ACCR

Project Profile: Dense Population and Underbuilt Facilities

Project Overview:

Customer: CPFL Energia

Project: Ramal Duratex
Location: Jundia-SP, Brasil
Length & Voltage: 12 conductor miles (19 km)
2 circuit miles (3 km), 88 kV

Solution: 3M ACCR 336 kcmil (171 mm)

Results:

Capacity was increased by 50%

Avoided need for new towers in densely
populated urban area
Left residences along narrow right-of-way
undisturbed during and after installation

We studied several options and decided that 3M ACCR provides the

most reliable, cost-effective solution for delivering more power through
a dense neighborhood without creating numerous logistical problems.
We were impressed by its high-performance results in other
applications where new tower construction was undesirable. We were
also pleased that our transmission line installation process went very
smoothly and everything is working as designed. Paulo Ricardo
Bombassaro, engineering and planning manager for CPFL Energia.

18

3M ACCR

Project Profile: Underbuilt & Capacity Increase

Project Overview:

Customer: TATA Power

Project: Borivali to Malad
Location: Mumbai, India
Length & Voltage: 120 conductor miles (193 km), 10
circuit miles (16 km), 110 kV double circuit, twin
bundled

Solution: 3M ACCR 300 T-16 kcmil

Results:

Capacity was increased from 900 amps to 2,000

amps just 2 years after last upgrade
Resolved sag issue affecting hutments built under the
power lines
Completed installation without disturbing residences

19

3M ACCR

Project Profile: Reliability

Project Overview:

Customer: Silicon Valley Power

Project: Palm Sub Project
Location: Santa Clara, California
Length & Voltage: 17.6 conductor miles (28 km), 3
circuit miles (4.8 km), 60 kV

Solution: 3M ACCR 715 (365mm2)

Results:

Increased ampacity by 84% for growing substation loads

Used only existing towers and right of way for existing
line
Matched tower heights with existing line for 2 new
sections
Re-energized existing portion of line every evening to
maintain reliable service
Worked around railroad crossings and highways to install
Delivered a reliable solution for sensitive high-tech
customers

Using the cutting-edge aluminum matrix conductor

minimized disturbance for our customers while
accommodating the growing demand for power capacity in
the area. Employing the latest technology also means less
maintenance and more reliability and we have plenty of
capacity for rapid response to customers increases in load
requirements over the next 15 to 20 years. - John
Roukema, Director of SVP.

20

3M ACCR

Project Profile: Capacity Increase

Project Overview:

Customer: Chita
Project: Line 64-65
Location: Siberia, Russia
Length & Voltage: 7.3 conductor miles
(11.3km),
1.3 circuit miles ( 1.8km) ; 110 kV

Solution: 3M ACCR 477-T13 (Flicker)

Results:

Increased ampacity by 243%

Reused existing towers without affecting underbuilt facilities
Provided a reliable solution in extreme ambient
temperatures

21

3M ACCR

Project Profile: Ampacity Upgrade

Project Overview:

Customer: MOESK
Project: Ochakovo-Odintsovo
Location: Moscow, Russia
Line Length: 60 conductor miles (97 km), 10 circuit
miles (16.1 km); 115 kV

Solution: 3M ACCR 477-T16 (Hawk)

Results:

Increased ampacity 98% by replacing ACSR 240/32

with 3M ACCR 477-T16
Saved time
Reused existing towers
Provided a reliable solution for area with extreme
temperatures and heavy ice and wind loads

22

3M ACCR

Project Profile: River Crossing

Project Overview:

Customer: CPFL Paulista

Project: Iacanga Substation
Location: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Length & Voltage: 3.8 conductor miles (6.1 km),
.062 circuit miles (1 km); 138 kV double circuit

Solution: 3M ACCR Type 336 kcmil

Results:

Eliminated need for tower on island submerged

during flooding of the Tiet River
Avoided the delay of waiting until mid-year for river
to possibly subside
Better control over the overall project costs
Lower construction risks and environmental impacts
Standard maintenance (no need for boats)
Ampacity equivalent to ACSR Hawk 477 kcmil
installed on the rest of the line

Building the foundation and tower on submerged

land would have posed engineering difficulties; waiting
until mid-year for the river possibly to subside would
have caused unreasonable delay. Using 3M ACCR was
a far more desirable alternative - less costly, and safer
for the construction team. - Paulo Ricardo
Bombassaro, engineering and planning manager for
CPFL Energia.
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3M ACCR

3M ACCR Commercial Installations

Current Installations
Xcel Energy
HECo
Western
BPA
Western
SRP

Name
Minneapolis/St. Paul
Oahu
Fargo
Washington State
Phoenix
Phoenix

PG&E

Santa Clara

SDG&E

San Diego

Waialua-Kahuku Oahu
Jamestown to Fargo
Pasco
Liberty Substation
Santan Generating Plant
Northern Receiving
CA
Station to Scott
CA EPRI test

Xcel Energy

Minneapolis/St. Paul

MN Blue Lake to Black Dog

APS

Phoenix

AZ

Western
Shanghai Power
Platte River
Aha Macav

AZ/CA border
Shanghai, China
Fort Collins
Needles

Topock to Davis
YangGao to XinZhou
CO Timberline to Harmony
CA Firehouse to No Name

Allegheny Power

West Virginia

Bedington to Nipetown

Underbuilt facilities
Cost and time savings

2008

British Columbia Transmission Company

(BC Hydro)

Canada

Sansum and Montague

Crossings

River crossing

2008

Dominion Virginia Power

West Virginia

Loudon to Brambleton

Underbuilt facilities

2008

MN
HI
ND
WA
AZ
AZ

VA

Phoenix Metro Trunkline

Reason for Installation

Installation validation
Corrosive environment
Heavy ice/wind loads
High temp operation
Installation validation
High current operation

Year
2001
2002
2002
2004
2004
2004

High temp operation

2005

EPRI test
Environmentally sensitive
area
River crossing
Dense population and
underbuilds
High growth
Cost and time savings
Reliability
Reliability

2005

24

2005
2006
2007
2007
2007
2008

3M ACCR

3M ACCR Commercial Installations

Current Installations

Name

Alabama Power

Alabama

AL

Silicon Valley

City of Santa Clara

CA Center Loop

Chongqing

Chongqing, China

Silicon Valley

City of Santa Clara

CTEEP

Sao Paulo, Brazil

Jup-Val

Confidential
TATA Power
TATA Power
OAO Chita Energo

Europe
India
India
Chita, Russia

Salsette to Saki
Borivali to Malad
Line 64-Line 65

Reason for Installation

Underbuilt facilities
Load growth
Environmental and
aesthetics
Reliability
Load growth
Time savings
Environmental and
aesthetics
Reliability
Cost, time and
environmental impact
savings
Load growth
Load growth
Load growth
Load growth

Bynum to Anniston

Cost and time savings

2008

Maximum amps
Delivery time
Max amps
New clearance issue
Load growth
Cost and time savings
Social impacts
Link to substation

2009

Alabama Power
Southeastern U.S.

Confidential

Southeastern U.S.

Confidential

Southeastern U.S.

CPFL

Varzea Paulista,
Brazil

Confidential

China

*Installation scheduled or underway

Shuinian to Shuangshan
CA Palm Sub

AL

Confidential

Miller Substation

Ramal to Duratex

25

Year
2008
2008
2008
2009

2009
2008
2009
2009
2008

2009
2009
2009
2009

3M ACCR

3M ACCR Commercial Installations

Current Installations

Name

Xcel Energy

St. Paul

Confidential
Confidential
E.ON Netz GmbH*
Confidential*

China
China
Germany
Europe

Amprion GmbH

Germany

Confidential*

Eastern U.S.

Confidential*

Western U.S.

Confidential

Carribean

CPFL*

Varzea Paulista,
Brazil

Confidential

Midwest U.S.

Confidential*
Confidential*

Europe
China

Confidential*

Brazil

Confidential*

Western U.S.

* Installation scheduled or underway

MN 3M Center Line

Ostermoor-Marne
HanekenfhrGersteinwerk

Reason for Installation

Load growth
Cost savings
Substations
Substations
Pilot line
Pilot line

Year

Pilot line

2009

New clearance issue

New clearance issue
Maximum amps
Maximum amps
Corrosive environment
Heavy winds

2009

Tight timeline
Iacanga Substation Tiet Environmental impacts
Risk of construction
River Crossing
problems
Maximum amps
Reduce number of towers
Pilot line

2009
2009
2009
2009
2010

2009
2009

2010

2010
2010
2010

Environmental impacts
Permitting
Maximize amps

2010
2010

26