By selecting and installing ACCC Hawk conductor, the Comision Federal de Electricidad (CFE) was able to upgrade the existing 115kV line to 230kV without modifying or replacing any of the 11 lattice steel towers spanning the Gulf of Mexico from the mainland to an island, the company said.
Two main issues considered by the utility in this project were sag clearance for boating safety and corrosion due to the harsh marine environment. ACCC conductor was selected due to the non-corrosive nature of the ACCC composite core and to avoid the expensive cost and difficulty of replacing structures over the waterway, while increasing CFE’s capacity with less sag at higher temperatures.
The installation of CFE’s initial pilot of 19km of Drake ACCC conductor in November 2008, demonstrated the ease of installation of ACCC conductor and accessories. This repeat order and installation evidences CFE’s acceptance of ACCC conductor and CTC Cable’s ongoing commitment to CFE to provide energy efficiency ACCC conductor solutions for its aging transmission grid, CTC said.
John Brewster, president of CTC Cable, said: “After almost two years of study and preparation, we are pleased with the successful completion of the Carmen project. We are optimistic about the prospects for the use of ACCC conductors in Mexico and we look forward to continued cooperation with CFE and COBRA.”
Jordana Electric administered the order, and installation was completed by COBRA under supervision of CTC Cable.
