The main stage of testing the largest high-temperature superconducting cable line has been completed
FGC UES (a member of Rosseti), at their own test ground in Moscow has completed life-cycle tests of high-temperature superconducting DC cable line (HTSC CL), which is the first line in Russia and the largest line in the world. The Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation added the company’s R&D products in the field of superconductivity as part of the national project, which will lead to the technology scaling both in Russia and abroad. The research and development center of FGC UES (R&D Center FGC UES) was established to direct these activities.
The pilot sample of HTSC DC cable line with the length of 2.5 km, which has been tested with the full simulation of normal operating conditions, will be put into operation in 2020 within Saint-Petersburg electric power system to connect two substations, namely: 330 kV “Centralnaya” and “RP-9” substations, which will increase the reliability of city power supply. In the end of 2017, design documentation on the line introduction earned a favorable review from the Glavgosexpertiza of RF (Main Department of State Expertise).
The use of high-temperature superconductors is a global trend within the number of industries, including energy industry. The implementation of HTSC cable lines in the network complex will enable transmission of higher power under low voltage, minimize losses and reduce the costs for line construction down to 20%. This technology is effective for construction of loop schemes and power bridges, and the power generation at stations, including NPPs.
According to the forecast for research and technology development of the Russian fuel and energy complex for the period until 2035 (RTD forecast), which has been established in 2016 by the Minister of Energy of Russia, A. Novak, the development of power supply network equipment with the use of non-expensive high-temperature superconducting materials is one of the priority areas of power industry development.
Using such cables in megalopolises would enable a more flexible planning of development and placement of consumption centers by expanding capacity in the course of region development without the need to lay additional cable lines and would significantly reduce the voltage class during the high power transmission.
The FGC UES project is inter-sectoral. Apart from implementation within electric mains, the project outcomes may be introduced to all energy-intensive industries, transport enterprises with high power consumption, as well as the petrochemical and mining sector. Technology scaling on the basis of high-temperature superconductivity will foster energy efficiency of national economy.
In today’s world there are several dozens of experimental cable lines built up to explore the opportunity of power transmission on the basis superconductivity effect with the maximum length of 1 km. HTSC cable lines with the length of several kilometers are being developed in Russia, Japan, South Korea, EU and USA.