Western Power and Smart Wires Trial First Power Flow Control Project in Western Australia

UNION CITY, Calif., April 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Smart Wires is delighted to announce the first trial installation of Smart Wires technology on the Western Power transmission system. In December 2017, Western Power crews successfully installed PowerLine Guardian® devices on the Mandurah-Pinjarra 132kV transmission line, marking the second installation of Smart Wires devices in Australia.

PowerLine Guardian® devices, belonging to Smart Wires' Guardian family of products, can be dispatched in real time to act as "valves" on a transmission line, "pushing" power to underutilised paths in the network by injecting inductive reactance. These devices can be rapidly deployed and also be easily relocated elsewhere in the network should system needs change. This allows for scalable and flexible solutions that reduce the risk associated with making investments amidst change and uncertainty.

"With Smart Wires we foresee the potential to optimise the use of our existing infrastructure by making our network more dynamic, to redirect electricity quickly with the aim to meet our customers' needs in a reliable and efficient way," said Sean Mc Goldrick, Western Power's Executive Manager for Asset Management.

Smart Wires solutions have the potential to enhance the value of Western Power's electric service by enabling increased integration of renewable resources whilst simultaneously minimizing the need for costly transmission upgrades.  Western Power and Smart Wires are studying these opportunities in parallel with the innovation project on the Mandurah-Pinjarra line.

"Western Power is seeing considerable change on its network, driven primarily by the growth of renewable energies in Western Australia.  Smart Wires is proud to be collaborating with the team at Western Power to consider opportunities for modular power flow control as a possible network strategy going forward," commented Yves Meyer, Smart Wires Vice President for International Business Development.

About Western Power

Western Power is a State Government owned corporation that is committed to providing safe, reliable and affordable electricity to more than one million customers across a network area of 255,064 km².

About Smart Wires

Smart Wires solutions are deployed at leading utilities such as PG&E, Southern Company, TransGrid and EirGrid.  Our modular approach to grid infrastructure is unique and has several advantages over traditional power flow control solutions that typically require long-lead times, are highly complex, demand significant capital investment, and ultimately represent single points of failure.  Smart Wires solutions can be deployed incrementally and reconfigured as needs evolve, thereby reducing investment risk, shortening lead times, and providing flexibility in an era of increasing operational uncertainty.  Smart Wires is located in the San Francisco Bay Area with offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Ireland.      

For more information, please visit www.smartwires.com

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Stephanie Cooper
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408-627-0371

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SOURCE Smart Wires