Opportunities for superconductivity in the electric power industry

Abstract

The US Federal Energy Policy Act of 1992 has fostered the rapid evolution of a competitive electric power industry. Its implementation by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the various state public utility commissions has created an opportunity for vastly expanded application of superconducting devices in transmission and distribution systems. Historically, the entrance of new technologies into the electric power system has been a long laborious process. Conservative electric utility technologists focused on reliability and long track records on someone else's system. The long range planning process (5-10 years) required in the regulatory environment further delayed implementation of newer technologies. Finally, regulations that limited return on investment fostered high cost generation over transmission. This has changed. The functional unbundling of the utilities into generation, transmission and service components has put in place new management teams. Regulations are focusing on increased performance and reduced costs as well as reliability. A favorable environment is developing for a wide range of new devices that include transmission enhancement SMES, microSMES for power quality applications and superconducting fault current limiters, motors, generators, transformers and transmission lines. It is important for technologists to fully understand how the changes in the $270 B electric power industry are opening unprecedented opportunities for superconductivity as an enabling technology.